For Love or Duty
by Sapphiregirl
Summary: AU SilMil. Forced to marry as a part of Earth's acceptance into the Silver Alliance, Mina and Malachite can't stand each other. War with Beryl is brewing and soon they'll have to make the ultimate choice. SenshixGenerals, SerexEndy REVISED Part 10 up!
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Hello, everyone! I apologize for the long absence; the past nine months have really been something else. I devoted a lot of time to my book and couldn't think about anything else for a few months. Then I realized that I couldn't proceed with new chapters to this story until I had done some revision. With that and the general craziness of life in my family, this process has taken a while.

Several notes before we continue:

To recap the plot, FLOD is an AR fic that takes place in the Silver Millennium. It's a look at what might have happened if Endymion and Serenity married prior to Beryl's attacks. Mina and Malachite don't like each other at first, but they will eventually realize they can't escape fate. They're meant for each other. FLOD will also have a different ending--it's one of my main reasons for writing this story.

I'm deliberately using a mix of Japanese and English names. I like certain names better than others, and some just seem to fit in more naturally.

For those of you who were reading this before, the rating has now been officially changed to "T" (PG-13) due to a few scenes later on and a great deal of violence at the end. Story-wise, there are some differences. Most noticeably, the early chapters have been heavily revised. I think you'll like the improvements; I didn't realize until recently how corny the beginning of this story is. :laughs: Hopefully I've made this more believable and a better tribute to the saga that is Sailor Moon.

Finally, I want to thank each and every person who has reviewed, read, or emailed me about this story in the past two and a half years. Your encouragement has meant the world to me; getting me through those stretches where my imagination vanished to the unknown regions of time and space and spurring me to not be one of those irritating people who never finish their stories. Thank you so much.

With that said, welcome to the new and improved _For Love or Duty_. I hope y'all enjoy.

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**For Love … or Duty**

**Prologue**

The Gate of Time was a solitary, silent place.

An imposing doorway jutting up from the midst of a vast expanse of rolling mist, the Gate provided access to any point of time. Most people believed it was a myth; a story that had developed through the centuries. Only a select few knew it was real.

The absence of sound and light was complete; there was nothing to guide anyone to the Gate. A person could wander there and never be seen again, lost forever in the mist and darkness. The only way to ensure safe arrival was to possess a Time Key, but since they were very seldom entrusted to anyone, visitors were rare. In fact, no one had come here since the day Queen Selenity appointed a guardian.

Sailor Pluto, the black-clad Senshi of Time, stood motionless at the Gate, holding her Garnet Rod, the tall staff that allowed her to control time. She looked like a living statue—not even a strand of her long green hair was out of place. Her crimson eyes were focused on the mist before her, but all she saw were the threads of time. She watched the strands unfold and weave themselves into what would become history.

Once she had been Princess Setsuna, a woman with a family and a home. Now there was only Sailor Pluto and the looming Gate she was sworn to protect. Her life was outside Time's steady stream; her very existence was already fading from the minds of her people. It was a lonely way of living, a lonely duty, but she bore the burden proudly.

Destiny continued to wind its way under her steady scrutiny. While forbidden to interfere or do anything to alter its course, she was allowed to keep it free of snarls and disruptions. Her job so far had been peaceful; everything proceeded just as it should have.

Exactly five years after being installed as the Guardian of Time, Pluto frowned as something in the time stream caught her eye. Something had slipped past her. She shifted on her feet, her mind immersing itself more deeply into the flow of time to find the aberrance.

Pluto examined the disturbance and her gloved hand tightened on her staff. She could clearly see two paths branching off from what had once been a unified whole. On one side was the path things should have taken—the fate she knew should have befallen the Silver Millennium—but events were now marching down a different path, threads binding together to form a new future, a new history.

A new Destiny.

A new fate for the Silver Millennium.

Before the original timeline faded away—past, present, and future were all relative to the Guardian of the Time Gate—she examined it trying to pinpoint exactly where things jumped track. She'd half-expected a momentous occasion, some grand, life-changing event, but it was such a simple thing. After all, who would have suspected an unimposing thing like a petition to change Destiny?

Yet it had.

The petition was the catalyst. She had only noticed the change because the timeline split clearly afterwards. Pluto marveled at this. How had she missed the petition coming into existence? She traced the change further back, seeing how gradual and subtly things were altered. One by one, she saw certain events play out a little differently than they should have. Certain people made different choices. Some changes weren't entirely unexpected—the timeline shifted a great deal—but the Silver Millennium was going down a route she had never foreseen.

Pluto straightened. She would find out how this had happened. Dipping her Time Staff in a graceful arch, Pluto opened a viewing portal and watched solemnly as a small silhouetted figure slowly appeared in the swirling mist in its depths.

Crimson eyes widened in surprise.

"Luna."

The word echoed out from the Gate, the first sound to be heard here in five years, but it was quickly swallowed up by the mist.

"I didn't expect this."

Sailor Pluto leaned against her staff and watched the scene unfold before her.

* * *

Luna, Mauan advisor to the Moon Queen Selenity, crouched hidden under a heavy, ornately carved wooden armchair in the antechamber to the King of Earth's private study. She was motionless, straining her ears to listen, even though she knew quite well no discernable sound would come through that heavy door. Her whiskers twitched as she wrinkled her nose. This wasn't the first time she had visited Earth and she doubted it would be her last. However, there was something different about this particular meeting; some grimly satisfied gleam in the King's eyes when he bade her wait until his meeting was over that warned her things were about to change.

Queen Selenity, head of the Silver Alliance, a coalition that strived to promote peaceful trading, travel, and life in general between the planets in their solar system, had been watching over the Earth ever since the Golden Kingdom shut itself off from the rest of the universe several centuries before. She had extended a hand of friendship to each successor to the Terran throne in turn, only to be met with rejection. The Terrans were a proud people. They had no need of anything outside their world and they saw no point in such an alliance. Still, Selenity continued to discreetly persist.

Luna, her Mauan heritage allowing her to change from a human to a cat at a moment's notice, was appointed to the job of visiting each new successor. So far, the only person over the years who hadn't immediately attempted to kill her or stubbornly refuse to listen and throw her out was King Edmund. He had been curious and over the course of his reign a tentative, cordial correspondence had developed between Earth and the Moon, with Luna acting as the go-between.

For the past few years, it seemed King Edmund had been attempting to broach the subject of opening Earth up to the rest of the universe to his advisors with little success. From what little Luna knew, he had mentioned this only in passing to Selenity, but the Queen had been astute enough to read between the lines. The King was seriously considering the idea.

Luna didn't know what could have prompted such a gradual change of heart. Earth had insisted they were self-sustaining for so long everyone believed them, including themselves. She stared at the door fixedly, wishing she could hear what was being said behind its wooden surface.

* * *

King Edmund sat motionless behind his desk, watching his advisors argue amongst themselves. He had proposed a plan to petition the High Council of the Silver Alliance for admittance and it had thrown his advisors into disarray.

"Your Majesty," one of them said for the tenth time, "We don't know for sure there even is life on other planets. This plan to join the so-called "Silver Alliance" is pure balderdash, if you'll permit me to be so bold." The man's toes tapped impatiently on the tapestry-covered floor. "We don't need them," he continued, "We're perfectly self-sustaining."

"Sidon," one of his peers, a balding man with a full silver beard, interjected mildly, "I believe you are missing the point. Just because you have never met a being from another planet does not mean they don't exist. As has been stated a thousand times over the past year, we have record of this Silver Alliance. Earth belonged to it several hundred years ago."

"And we left," the other man sneered in return.

"Your Majesty," another, older man, interrupted before an argument could erupt, "To be quite honest, we still fail to see how this plan could possibly benefit Earth."

"Your Majesty," another man broke in. The King looked at him with veiled relief. Markus was one of his more reasonable, imaginative counselors, who had hitherto been rather silent. "May I explain?"

The King nodded his consent and Markus immediately began to speak. "My King and fellow counselors, we do know that there is life on other planets—at least there was up until a few centuries ago, which can be verified by the Master of the Records. The Silver Alliance does in fact exist and at one point we belonged to it, though the details of our leaving have unfortunately been lost." He looked apologetically at his King.

"From a purely intellectual standpoint, this alliance would allow us to expand our horizons." He made a grand, sweeping gesture with his arm. "They may have ideas, trinkets, gadgets, and ways of doing things that would vastly improve our own lives. We may have things and ideas they don't have." He glanced around the room. "For this reason alone, I believe this could be a very profitable alliance."

Quickly, before anyone could object, he continued, "On a practical note, we are in dire need of outside help. The darkness has grown stronger over the past few years and none of our attempts to ward off these terrible creatures has had any affect whatsoever. Queen Selenity may be able to help us." He held his hands out in a quiet, supplicating manner. "This truly is our last resort."

The King sat motionless, his eyes flicking from advisor to advisor. Several of them looked positively forbidding, a few more looked uncertain, and the rest were nodding in agreement. He glanced at Markus and then at his chief advisor, Zaman. His eyes narrowed shrewdly. "We have discussed this topic a great deal over the past year. What counsel would you give us now?"

The men muttered quietly between themselves for a few moments before Zaman stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesty, though we still remain unaware of the methods you use to meet with this representative of the Alliance, we agree that the current situation is dire enough to warrant immediate action. To this end," he cast a glance at his comrades, "We suggest a message be sent to the Moon to request a meeting for the discussion of our possible inclusion in this Alliance."

The King nodded gravely. "I concur." He reached for a rolled-up piece of parchment lying to one side of his desk and handed it to Zaman.

Keeping any quizzical expressions to himself, the old man unrolled it and began to read. Moments later, he handed it to the man next to him and eyed his King uneasily. "Sire, you've already drawn up this petition?"

The King fixed him with an imperious stare. "We have. We felt it was necessary."

Gradually, the piece of parchment passed through each of the advisor's hands. When it finally returned to him, the King leaned back in his chair and regarded his counselors somberly. "We have been discussing this matter for a long time. The monarchy has come to the conclusion that it is in Earth's best interests for us to request admittance to the Silver Alliance. What say you?"

There was perfect silence for a few seconds. Then, one by one, the counselors nodded their consent, all except for Sidon.

He stood stiffly. "Your Majesty, should we indeed request admittance to this Silver Alliance, it is my humble opinion that no definite decision on our part should be made until we can be quite sure of whether or not they are honorable."

The King dipped his head in acknowledgment. "Well said. This petition is only a request. We will of course withdraw from any proceedings should we find ourselves at a disadvantage." He glanced around the room again.

When no one spoke, he reached for a pen, dipped it into a pot of black ink, and scrawled his signature across the bottom of the parchment. He rolled it up and affixed the royal seal. "It is done."

There was hushed silence for a few minutes. After a lengthy pause, Zaman ventured to ask, "Your Majesty, once again I must ask how this missive will be delivered to the Moon."

A hint of a smile played around the corners of the King's mouth. "We will ensure it reaches the messenger." He then dismissed his counselors, leaving them to ponder his cryptic words. They filed out of the room one by one and after they had left, the King called softly, "Come in, Luna."

* * *

When the King called her name, Luna slipped into the study and eased the door shut with her front paws. The King had adjusted to the fact she was a talking cat remarkably well and she had never seen fit to show him her human form. She looked up, taking in her surroundings before moving closer. The early evening sun streamed through the room in golden shafts; illuminating dust mites, which danced and twinkled languidly in the air. The King sat staring down thoughtfully at a piece of parchment.

Luna crossed the tapestry-covered floor and gracefully leaped up onto his desk. She perched before him, her black tail curled regally around her feet, and inclined her head. "Your Majesty."

The King picked up the parchment and tapped it on the desk. Luna saw that it was already folded and sealed. A good sign. Her whiskers twitched.

He met her gaze. "We have news for you, Luna," he rumbled. "But we haven't time for long explanations at the moment, so we will be blunt. Earth once belonged to your Silver Alliance and we are contemplating renewing that ancient tie."

Luna was perfectly still, her golden eyes unblinking, keeping the rising elation in her chest firmly tamped down. "My Queen will be pleased to hear this, Your Majesty." She dipped her head again and waited for him to elaborate, but the King seemed to be finished.

He held out the parchment to her, his face unusually grave. "Until we meet again."

Luna bowed, her legs bending in an action that would have seemed comical had they been in any other situation, and took the missive gingerly into her mouth. Her mind was already flashing to how she was going to sneak this out of the castle.

A firm knock sounded on the door and the King looked over in that direction, frowning at the interruption. Luna, who was supposed to appear and disappear discreetly, saw her chance and took it. She couldn't risk being apprehended by some dim-witted servant or guard and have the parchment taken from her. The royal seal was too visible.

Her eyes narrowed with determination. The Golden Kingdom had, for some reason, decided they wanted to join the Silver Alliance and they had crafted a petition to let the galaxy know they were interested. The very least she could do was make sure the Alliance actually saw it.

In one graceful movement, she took a flying leap off of the desk over to the window, which the King had left slightly open, despite the early spring chill in the air. She slipped through and crouched on the edge of the windowsill. She was out of sight here and had a moment to consider viable courses of action.

As she had discovered the last time she used this particular method of leaving the King's study, her only possible option was a beautiful oak tree growing a good twenty feet below. Luna made a face. She hated having to jump down there—it was by far her least favorite method of exiting the castle—but it would have to do.

She hurled herself out in the general direction of the leafy branches below and her mouth tightened on the petition, holding back the wild caterwaul threatening to rise as she dropped with sickening speed. She tumbled into the branches and bounced from one to another until she landed on the ground in a dizzy heap.

Luna shook herself and crossed her eyes slightly in an attempt to check on the parchment still firmly grasped in her teeth. She nodded to herself. It seemed only slightly worse for wear. The Queen would be pleased.

The black cat acquired a better grip on it and darted off along the palace wall. Since Selenity never attempted to retrieve her until nightfall, it would be best if she disappeared until it was time to go home. She vanished into the gardens and trotted around until she found a suitable tall tree to settle into for a nice nap.

High up in his study, the King turned back to his desk to find both Luna and the parchment gone. He shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. He still wasn't quite sure how she managed that.

* * *

The images in the view portal swirled away into nothing. Pluto continued to lean on her staff, a speculative look on her face. She glanced at the deviations in the time stream and found that Luna had indeed delivered the petition to Queen Serenity, who had in turn presented it to the High Council. The end result was that the grimly pleased Terran King found an ambassadorial invitation to the Moon on his desk two days later.

Pluto considered restoring the timeline to its original existence, but as she probed the extent of the differences between the two times, she saw the problem was more complicated than it first appeared. Everything was so closely entwined that removing the changes would be a massive, well-nigh impossible undertaking. Perhaps it would be best to take a different approach.

After careful scrutiny, the Senshi of Time made the decision to leave things as they were. There would still be great sorrow, she could sense that much, but there would also be great happiness. More happiness, in fact, than she could see in the other timeline.

However the Silver Millennium's destiny had changed, it had been none of her doing and she had found no signs of outside interference. A rare smile flitted across her face. Of course she would change nothing. Clearly, this was fate.

Wasn't she forbidden to meddle?

All relative.

Pluto stood straighter at her post and watched the new Destiny of the Silver Millennium unfold with avid interest.

* * *

:grins cheerfully: Like it? 


	2. Part 1: And So It Begins

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Well, here it is. Revised Part 1. I'm actually rather pleased with the way this turned out, even though a couple of new scenes gave me fits for weeks. Enjoy!

_"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."—Deuteronomy 6:5_

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**For Love...or Duty**

**Part 1:**

**And So It Begins...**

The reflection of the lovely Moon Palace glittered in the waters of the still lake beside it, towering above the peaceful, serene capital city sprawled at its feet. The afternoon was a tranquil gem—one in a long string of beautiful days. The weather on the Moon was always lovely and this day was no exception.

It was the peak of the afternoon siesta; quiet and still…until a blonde and orange hurricane swept through the silent Palace leaving chaos in its wake. The blur tore down the halls, startling servants and waking up sleeping guards until it finally reached the quarters of Queen Selenity. There it stopped, revealing a slim blonde girl in a flowing dress of deep orange. She smoothed her wind-blown hair and stood straight before rapping politely on the door.

Mina, heir to the throne of Venus, was one of eight princesses who had been discovered to hold the power of their individual planets. This power allowed them to transform into warriors who became known as the Sailor Senshi. Two years after Selenity's daughter was born, the young princesses were sent to live on the Moon to learn how to use their powers and they became Princess Serenity's court, friends, and hidden protectors.

The three Senshi from the outer worlds were older than the Inner Senshi, who were themselves two years Serenity's seniors. They eventually left the Moon to fulfill their destinies. Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus defended and protected the outer edges of the solar system, while Queen Selenity tasked the enigmatic Sailor Pluto with guarding the Gate of Time.

"Come in," said a muffled voice from inside.

The blonde swept into the room and curtseyed deeply. "You sent for me, Queen Selenity?"

The silver-haired ruler of the flourishing Moon Kingdom looked up from the papers she was studying. "Ah, Mina. Yes, I need to talk to you." The queen motioned to one of the elegant gold-rimmed chairs at her white marble desk. "Please, sit."

Mina complied and tucked a few strands of golden hair behind her ear before folding her hands neatly in her lap. Mentally, she ran over her list of duties. Everything was going as it should. Why was she here? Did it have something to do with Luna and the regular trips she had been making to Earth lately?

Queen Selenity laid her papers down and pushed them aside. Her usually bright blue eyes were clouded with a hint of worry and her face was grave. "Earth has petitioned to be allowed into the Silver Alliance," she said abruptly. "The High Council is considering the matter."

The princess from Venus looked startled but kept silent, sensing the Queen wasn't finished. Ironically, the Moon revolved around the only planet that did not belong to the Alliance: Earth. The blue-green orb had once belonged to the Alliance and had been a powerful ally, especially considering that they didn't need magic to survive on their world, but its people had terminated their involvement four centuries before. Mina suspected the Queen knew why, but she was sure no one else did, except perhaps Luna.

"While it is true that finally having the Golden Kingdom as an ally would be very much to our advantage," Selenity continued, "The Queen of Mars has informed me of several disturbing visions she's had lately which may mean there is something wrong on Earth." She shook her head slightly.

"Your Majesty," Mina interjected, "I was under the impression the Alliance wants Earth to return."

Something in Selenity's beautiful face tightened. "True. However, we are uncertain of their motives. Still," she raised a delicate hand, palm upward, "we have agreed to talk with them. To this end, an ambassadorial party is being sent here from Earth. They will arrive in a week."

"Oh, my." Mina couldn't think of anything else to say. The idea of Terrans actually coming to the Moon was….mind-boggling. Despite herself, visions of how stunned the others, particularly Princess Serenity, would be flashed through her mind and she had to fight a smile.

The Queen's voice softened. "Since you are the head of the Moon's security, I thought you should be the first to know."

Something in Selenity's voice and demeanor triggered Mina's internal alarms. Earth's motives were bothering the Queen more than she would admit. "Your Majesty," she asked, bowing her head respectfully, "Who exactly is comprising the ambassadorial party?" It was the first question that came to mind; the Terrans' choice of ambassadors was key to grasping their motives.

"I am told it will be Crown Prince Endymion and his Guard." The Queen looked down at her papers to hide a frown.

Mina couldn't restrain a gasp and leaned forward in her chair. "Endymion? Here? Why would the Terrans send their Crown Prince to the Moon instead of a normal ambassador?" Her blue eyes reflected her confusion.

Gossip on Earth's affairs was extremely rare; to Mina's knowledge, Luna was the only person who had visited Earth in centuries. Mina had pumped the Queen's advisor thoroughly after every visit (after swearing herself to secrecy, of course) and had gradually pieced together an account of Endymion.

He was the darling of the Golden Kingdom, loved by rich and poor alike, and the King had recently put him in charge of the Terran Army. Luna mentioned at one point he was rather handsome, which in Mina's experience meant it was not too much to conclude that he was probably something of a heartless playboy. It wouldn't surprise the Venusian Princess; rich, powerful, _and_ handsome men were always the most dangerous.

Queen Selenity shook her head, sending her silver ponytails waving out gracefully from the two buns on her head. "I don't understand it either," she admitted. "It's a tremendous show of faith on their part; there must be an underlying reason." She drummed her fingers on the marble surface of the desk. "However, I have a feeling we will find out what their real motives are." She was silent for a long moment and Mina waited, wondering if the same idea was running through both their heads.

"Majesty," she ventured finally, "if there is something concerning Serenity that is bothering you, perhaps I may be of assistance." When the Queen glanced up to meet her gaze, the Venusian knew she'd hit the rock on the head. It did concern Serenity.

Selenity seemed to reach a decision. Her blue eyes narrowed. "No word of this is to be spoken to anyone."

Mina bowed her head. "I understand."

Selenity leaned back in her chair and rubbed her forehead. "Perhaps I'm merely being overprotective, or maybe I'm just being silly, but I have the strangest feeling that the fact Endymion is being sent here is no coincidence. They didn't need to send him; surely Edward has advisors more experienced in political intrigue." She laughed softly, but the sound had hollow undertones. "I think—I believe he is coming to meet Serenity." It was an inexplicable feeling, yet from the moment she had read the King's gracefully penned response and realized just who would be coming, she had been unable to shake it off.

The Queen's words resounded deep inside Mina, confirming what her intuition had already suspected. The only problem was that she didn't know how he could have learned of the Moon Princess. To her knowledge, Luna was Earth's only contact with the rest of the galaxy and she had never mentioned telling the King much about the Lunarian Royal Family. Also, there was no way she would have allowed Serenity to go with her. Mina's mind pushed the puzzle aside for later.

"Is there anything in particular you would like me to do?" Mina asked in concern, her blue eyes fastened on the Queen's suddenly tired face.

"Just do your duty, Mina. That's all I ask of you. Make sure everything is in order and stay close to Serenity. Don't let her out of your sight until we learn what their true intentions are." She sighed. It was probably nothing, she assured herself, but it didn't hurt to be prepared just the same.

Mina placed her hand over her heart. "The Sailor Senshi will allow nothing to happen to her, my Queen."

Selenity smiled at the serious blonde before her. "I know, Mina. I'm proud of all of you." Her expression smoothed itself back into tranquility. "I don't want the entire palace knowing about the Terrans' arrival yet." She held the Venusian's gaze for a moment and then glanced back down at her papers. "You are free to leave."

"As you wish. I'll keep it to myself." Mina curtseyed and rose from the chair. She paused in the doorway. "Oh, Your Majesty, will you be holding a ball for the Terrans?"

Queen Selenity looked startled for a moment, before smiling. "Of course we will. Royal protocol demands it."

"Thank you!" Mina smiled brightly and bounced out of the room. She had a legitimate excuse for her meeting with the Queen now. She flew towards the Moon Princess's quarters, startling the servants and guards—some of whom barely managed to hastily snap to attention as she passed—once more. The Senshi part of her relished the disturbance—they didn't need to be sleeping at their posts. She made a mental note to come back as Venus later and give them a sound scolding.

She had just reached the door to Serenity's sitting room when someone came up behind her and draped an arm around her shoulder. Princess Lita, of Jupiter, asked in a conversational voice, "What did the Queen want?" She looked at Mina expectantly out of laughing green eyes. Her brown hair, tinged faintly with red, was always pulled up in a ponytail on the top of her head and fastened with two emeralds, but even without it she stood half a head above any of the other girls.

Mina laughed excitedly. _I can talk about the ball, can't I?_" She wanted to tell me about a big ball that she's planning on having in a week or so. She…uh…also wanted to know if…if…" Mina racked her brain for something—anything—and her blue eyes lit up. Smoothly, she said, "She wanted to know if you'd make your famous Jupiter star cakes as a dessert." It was a well-known fact the Queen did indeed enjoy the cakes.

Lita's eyes sparkled. "I'd be glad to!" Cooking was one of the Jovian Princess's hobbies and for one of her dishes to be recognized by the Queen was a great honor.

By this time, the two of them had entered Serenity's lovely quarters. The other members of the Moon Princess's court were gathered in the sitting room as well, engaged in a variety of activities. Serenity herself seemed to be fast asleep on a couch.

Rei, the fiery princess and Senshi from Mars, caught the last part of the conversation and looked up from the ballad she was composing, tossing her raven hair out of her face. "She called you in just to say that?" Her voice was full of skepticism. "She could have sent a servant to tell Lita that."

_Uh-oh_, Mina thought. Rei was very quick on the uptake. Aloud, she giggled. "Not exactly, Rei. She wanted to discuss security and make sure I'm on top of things. We all know how much trouble Serenity gets into." She cast a mischievous look at the sleeping Princess. "She added the bit about Lita's cakes as an afterthought." She flashed her friends a bright smile. _I hope they believe me._ "Doesn't a ball sound like fun?"

"A ball?" The words penetrated Serenity's unconscious mind and she abruptly came back from dreamland. She sat up from her position draped over a pearly pink couch and rubbed the sleep out of her innocent blue eyes. "Did you say my mother is planning a ball?"

"Yes!" Mina exclaimed.

"That will be nice," Serenity commented, before lying down again. Her eyes drifted shut and she started to slip away back into sleep. The afternoon was so peaceful that naps just had to be mandatory…perhaps she could reclaim the fragments of that lovely dream she'd been having…

"Serenity," Princess Ami, of Mercury, chided. "You're supposed to be studying the reigns of the past few Terran Kings, not sleeping." Her dark blue eyes were slightly reproachful as she looked up from her book. _After all her curiosity two years ago, you'd think she'd show a little more interest_, she thought tiredly.

Mina did a double-take, something sharpening inside her. "Did you say studying about Terran Kings?"

The blue-haired princess turned her gaze to her effervescent friend. "I did," she said calmly.

"Why is she studying that?" Rei interrupted curiously. "I was under the impression she wasn't supposed to have anything to do with Terran history since the last time she went around talking about how wonderful it would be to go there and scared the Queen half to death. Besides, Earth is off-limits." She shrugged and turned back to her half-finished ballad.

"Earth is still off-limits," Ami replied, setting her book down for the moment, "But Queen Selenity thinks that now Serenity is a little bit older and—ahem—more mature, it would be a good idea for her to become familiar with it. After all, Earth used to be part of the Silver Alliance and they may well be so again someday."

Mina barely managed to keep surprise from her face. She glanced at her blue-haired friend with keen eyes. Ami wouldn't know until later how perceptive she really was.

Rei dropped her pen in disgust and looked over at them with narrowed purple eyes. "Why the sudden interest?" she mused aloud. She shook her head, sending tendrils of black hair swaying. "I'm not entirely convinced it won't go to Sere's head again."

Ami considered that for a moment, before saying, "Apparently the Queen believes it won't."

Lita glanced over at their sleeping princess. "Besides," she said in a low voice. "We're here."

"Yes, we are." Ami pinched the bridge of her nose and looked from Mina to Serenity and back hopefully. "Could you possibly help me wake Sere up? She's got to finish this handwriting exercise before we continue our study of Earth."

* * *

Three days later, Queen Selenity called the five princesses together. She leaned back in her chair and smiled at them warmly. "I have something very important to tell you."

Mina's eyes flashed with excitement and more than a little relief. She hated keeping things from the others. Still, she had done her duty, and that was what really counted. The security of the Moon Palace was ready for their prestigious company.

"The High Council has been petitioned by the Golden Kingdom for the admission of Earth into the Silver Alliance," Selenity began. "Earth is sending ambassadors to visit the Moon and open negotiations."

Mina glanced over at Ami. Sure enough, the Mercurian's eyes were as wide as saucers. "This is a turning point in history!" she murmured to herself. Mina glanced away before Ami could catch her eye and realize she had known all along.

Princess Serenity was intrigued. "Terrans? Coming here?" Her blue gaze was locked on her mother's face as if to confirm she had actually heard what she thought she'd heard. A deep, deep joy was beginning to bubble up inside her, but she pushed it back down. Now was not the time to be ecstatic over finally meeting people from Earth.

The Queen nodded and then continued. "The ambassadorial party consists of Earth's Crown prince, Endymion, and his personal Guard—four Generals." She stopped and looked at each of the girls in turn. Her voice gained a steel edge. "Mina, Ami, Lita, Rei, the Senshi will of course be introduced to the Terrans at some point. However, you are _not_, under any circumstances, to reveal your civilian identities. Is that understood?"

They curtseyed. "It is."

"Very well. You are dismissed." Selenity waved her hands in a vaguely shooing gesture. "The Terrans will be arriving in a few days and I must see to the remaining preparations."

Princess Serenity led the way out of her mother's royal chambers and down the marble hall. Then she stopped short and threw her arms out, twirling wildly. Her beautiful layered white dress spread out around her and her long golden ponytails went with it. Blue eyes sparkling with excitement, she exclaimed, "Isn't it wonderful? We're finally going to meet people from Earth!"

"Hmm. Fascinating," Rei remarked sourly. "After centuries, now they want to join? I want to know what's really going on." Frowning, she posted her hands on her hips and watched Serenity dance around the hall.

Ami, the usually calm and unflappable one of the group, was also immensely excited. "This is an unprecedented event!" she declared, waving her hands in the air. "History is unfolding before our very eyes!" Her face was suffused with happiness.

Lita, however, was unimpressed. Her emerald eyes flashed briefly. "I just hope they'll be a good thing for the Alliance instead of a burden." She bit her lip. "And," she confessed with a blush, "I hope that they're a little bit taller than some of the men here. I hate dancing with a partner who's shorter than I am."

"What?" Serenity stopped spinning and stared dizzily at the princess from Jupiter. "Did you say dancing?"

Lita stared back in slight puzzlement. "Of course I said dancing. Why else would Queen Serenity be holding a ball next week?"

The other four girls just looked blankly at Lita and then at each other. Mina ignored the fact that she'd known about it the whole time and said in a bubbly voice, "Of course! That makes perfect sense! Why didn't I think of that?" Then she mock-glared at Rei, who had a strange look on her face, as if she'd just figured something out. "Let's just hope you don't scare all the gentlemen away with your temper, Rei."

Ruffled, Rei stuck her tongue out in a very unladylike fashion. "At least I won't hang all over them like I've nothing better to do!"

Mina ignored the barb and winked; happy she'd managed to deter her friend. "I don't hang all over them, Rei; they just fall at my feet in awe at my beauty!"

Rei rolled her eyes expressively. "Oh, please."

Ami's rhapsodies over history having since died down, she produced the book on Terran history from somewhere and was engrossed in it again. Now she raised her head and said patiently, "Would you two please stop arguing? Mina, you sound like Serenity when she's arguing with Rei."

Mina laughed and gave Ami a sweeping bow. "Thank you for such a high compliment!"

Serenity pretended to pout and folded her arms. "It is _not_ possible for her to sound the same way I do when Rei and I have a 'discussion.'"

Rei smiled, her purple eyes lighting with amusement. "For once, I agree."

Serenity smiled back and then chewed on her lower lip for a moment. She glanced at the book in Ami's hands and shuffled from foot to foot thoughtfully. "You know, as much as I dislike studying, I would like to make progress on Terran history before the ambassadors get here. Ami, would you help me?"

Ami was so startled that the book fell from her hands and clattered to the marble floor with a muffled thud. Serenity asking to study? Flushing red, she bent to scoop it up and held it close. "Are you in earnest? Do you really want me to help you study this intensely?"

Serenity nodded. Ami grabbed her arm and said, "Well, there's no time like the present. Let's go, Princess!"

Lita and Rei exchanged stunned glances while Mina burst out laughing. She wiped tears away from her eyes and motioned down the hall at the rapidly disappearing two. "_Now_ she wants to learn. Maybe we can use that approach with the rest of her studies."

"I doubt it," Rei said dryly. As they turned to go their separate ways, the Martian princess leaned in close to Mina. "You knew about all this, didn't you?" Mina blinked in confusion, but she wasn't quite able to fool Rei, who nodded. "I thought as much." She vanished down another corridor and Mina stared after her, lost in thought. How did Rei always _do_ that?

* * *

As far as the princesses were concerned, the next few days crawled by at a snail's pace. By the time the evening before the Terrans were to come rolled around, Serenity was so excited she could barely contain herself and the other princesses' attempts to calm her were fairly useless.

"Don't worry, princess," Mina said brightly, wondering if she could manage to slip her friend a sleeping draught. "Tomorrow will be here soon." She cast a look at Serenity's large, comfortable bed and a peculiar look stole over her face. The sleeping draught idea was discarded in favor of a plan to the Princess into her bed—sleep was sure to find her quickly. Fortunately, Rei distracted her before she could pounce.

"Serenity," she drawled casually, "They're just Terrans."

Behind her, curled up in one corner of the couch, Ami looked startled. "Just Terrans?" she mouthed in disbelief.

Serenity stopped dead and gave Rei a bemused look. "Just Terrans?" she repeated with a tinkling laugh. She bounced on her toes happily. "Rei, I've always wanted to meet people from Earth and this is like a dream come true!" She broke in a merry dance, swinging Lita along with her while Rei just shook her head. They couldn't understand why she was so excited.

Well, that was to be expected. If they knew her underlying reasons, her Senshi would never leave her alone again. Serenity stopped dancing and leaned against the doorframe leading to the balcony. As always, her blue eyes traveled to the softly glowing shape of Earth hanging in the starry sky.

Two years ago, at the height of her infatuation with Earth, she had slipped into her mother's chambers and "borrowed" the Imperial Silver Crystal. She hadn't had a specific destination in mind, merely a surging desire to see roses and perhaps talk to someone. The Crystal had taken her to a magnificent garden, but unfortunately, it had been the middle of the night and she hadn't had a chance to see what real Earth roses looked like. She had wandered around for a little while, but there was really nothing to see and no one to talk to.

Standing in the dark, deserted garden, Serenity had looked up at the silvery light of the Moon. A wave of guilt hit her as she remembered that her home was defenseless without the Crystal. A cold chill had run down her spine and she quickly teleported herself back the Moon. She had replaced the Crystal without anyone being the wiser and never breathed a word of her adventure to anyone. Some of her wild energy drained away. "I think I shall retire for the night now."

Mina, Ami, Lita, and Rei exchanged collective looks of relief and bid Serenity good night. Then they left her quarters and gratefully made their way to their own rooms. Mina leaned against her door for a long moment, letting go of all the day's tension. Then she slipped into her nightdress and tiredly climbed into bed.

Earlier that evening, in the midst of Serenity's excitement and Ami's incoherent ramblings about watching history in the making, a rather unpleasant thought had occurred to her. With the Terran prince and his companions at the Moon palace, she and the other Inner Princesses would have to juggle both their lives as princesses of Serenity's court and their duties as Sailor Senshi, guardians of the Princess and of the moon itself with even more care than usual. It wasn't going to be easy. Everyone was always more alert and observant when there were important guests in the Palace; the servants might put two and two together and realize the princesses were also the Senshi. If something happened, they might not be able to slip away from the Terrans without causing a scene.

On the bright side, they probably wouldn't have any major catastrophes demanding their attention. Life on the Moon was fairly tranquil and it wasn't like anyone had ever made the connection between their dual personas before. She was being silly. They didn't have anything to worry about. The Terrans wouldn't be staying on the Moon forever… eventually they'd have to go home and things would return to normal. She would just have to wait it out.

* * *

Mina awoke with a start the next morning, blinking at the golden sunlight that streamed through her windows and fell on her face. As she sat up and stretched, the light glinted off her hair, sending a scintillating reflection dancing around the room. She slid out of bed and went to the huge armoire on the far side of the room to choose her clothes for the day. _Let's see...I'll need a nice gown for this morning and something to wear tonight at the ball..._

She finally decided on a shimmering yellow gown with a rather daring neckline and short see-through sleeves that fell to her elbows to wear that day and a gold dress with a tightly fitted bodice, straps that artfully slipped off her shoulders, and a full skirt for the ball.. _Perfect. Now, time for my training._

Mina stood in the center of her room and held her transformation pen high. "Venus Power!" A flurry of lights surrounded her and turned her into the white-and-orange-suited Sailor Venus. She slipped out of her room and made her way out of the silent palace, heading for the training grounds at the back.

Right now she was feeling tense and more than a little nervous; neither of which was good. She would need to be in complete control later. In her experience, the best way to accomplish that goal was to relieve her tensions by beating the heck out of the training simulations.

Rumor had it that the Senshi lived in hidden quarters somewhere inside the white marble coliseum connected to the Palace. Venus and the others had of course perpetuated that rumor. It was easier than trying to come up with another plausible story to explain their absence from the palace living quarters.

The towering marble walls surrounded a large open space in the heart of the coliseum that was used for sparring and various outside exercises. Rooms leading off from the center grounds housed equipment, a small medical facility (which had been installed at Mercury's request), and Venus's particular favorite: the simulation training room.

A shimmering shielded partition at one end of the room protected the simulation computer. It had been damaged a few times over the years when energy attacks crashed through the glass wall and the technicians on Mercury had developed a shield for it to save themselves the trouble of attempting to fix it. Venus found the door and passed through the shield. A moment later, she stepped out and took a deep calming breath.

Sometimes, despite her natural tendency to be cheerful, bouncing, and bubbly, it was hard to keep up the act all the time. There were so many occasions that she had to be the one to keep things light—to help her friends be cheerful—when all she wanted to do was be as gloomy and miserable as the rest of them. _Oh, well, at least no one expects Sailor Venus to be that way. _Feeling slightly better, she took an attack pose and counted the seconds until the simulation would begin. A group of black-clad ninjas flickered into view around her and she launched herself into the session.

Two hours later, Sailor Venus was tired, but was in much better spirits. She left the coliseum and headed back into the Palace to make her morning rounds. Everything was in tip-top condition; everyone wanted to present the Moon Palace to their visitors at its very best. Finally, as breakfast time neared, Venus checked to make sure none of the servants who had been frantically dashing around making last minute preparations were around and detransformed before slipping back to her own room to wash up.

Feeling quite refreshed, her stomach reminded her that it was time to visit the dining hall for breakfast. As she spun out of her room, she nearly collided with Lita, who had just emerged from her own room. "Good morning!" she said brightly.

"Good morning," Lita replied absently. She noticed Mina's slightly damp hair and lifted an eyebrow. "Been out already?"

"Yes. I needed to get rid of some unneeded energy."

Lita looked faintly rueful. "I'd have joined you, but I slept too late and now I have to get started on those star cakes Queen Selenity requested."

"Need any help?" Mina asked. _After all, I was the one who came up with that idea,_ she reasoned.

Lita backed away quickly. "Um...thank you, Mina, but I don't think so. Remember what happened the last time you helped me?"

Mina frowned. "It wasn't my fault the bread dough rose too much. I put the right things into it, didn't I?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "You put the right ingredients in, I'll give you that much, but you put entirely too much yeast in."

"All right, so I put six tablespoons into it instead of teaspoons. I fail to see what the problem is." Mina propped her hands on her hips.

"Mina, the bread ended up covering an entire counter!"

The blonde Venusian sighed loudly. "I never said cooking was my cup of milk."

Lita let out a long-suffering sigh and shook her head. "Cup of tea, Mina, cup of tea. Not cup of milk." Still shaking her head, she walked off to the royal kitchen.

Mina muttered something intelligible and stalked off to find something to eat. Lita ended up joining her again because in her opinion, it was never a good idea for a cook to create things on a completely empty stomach. Ami, Rei, and Serenity joined them soon after.

* * *

That morning, the princess' breakfast table was abuzz with chatter. Mina kept up a steady stream of light conversation, punctuating it every now and then with comments about how wonderful the ball would be and how she hoped the Terrans would be at least a little handsome. Whether or not they would be young was a hope that went without saying. While the princesses would be gracious and polite to please their Queen, none of them wanted to spend the length of the Terrans' visit with a bunch of old men.

The rest of the day dragged on rather slowly. Serenity was on pins and needles and had to be forcibly restrained from chewing on her fingernails. Lita set her on cookies instead, figuring one day of inhaling sweets couldn't hurt her. Mina wished there was a cure as simple as cookies for the rest of them. Even Ami couldn't concentrate—she'd had to put her books away because she might as well have been trying to read them upside down.

When the time finally arrived for the Terran ambassadors' arrival, a large crowd assembled in the courtyard. Practically the entire population of the Moon had turned out to see the Prince of Earth. Princess Serenity stood with her court right behind the Queen, fidgeting nervously. Lita laid a calming hand on her shoulder.

Mina stood tall, coolly awaiting their visitors. She was to the right of the jittery Moon Princess and if anything should go amiss, both the Queen and her daughter would be protected. Still, she couldn't deny the fact that she was curious too.

The Queen raised her arms in the air and Mina knew she was holding up the Imperium Silver Crystal, a powerful gem whose origins were still unknown. Selenity had used the Crystal to create a livable atmosphere on the Moon when she founded the kingdom and it could also be used to teleport people from place to place in the absence of teleportation machines. Since Earth had not had teleporters since they left the Silver Alliance, using the Crystal was the only way the Terran Prince would be able to reach them. The blonde Princess's thoughts flashed to her ark, a giant space-capable ship that she hadn't really had a chance to use yet. _Well, perhaps not the only way_, she reflected, _but certainly the least alarming_.

A silvery haze slowly formed on the pearly marble floor before the Queen and her companions and indistinct forms appeared in its depths. Gradually, the silver-white cloud faded and the shapes resolved themselves into five tall young men. One was standing, the others kneeling behind him. They rose as their bodies solidified.

The first man, who stood in front of the others, wore black and gold armor and a long black, redlined cape. A gleaming sword hung at his side. Ebony hair curled around his finely chiseled features and his eyes were stormy blue. His entire aura screamed royalty and power under control. Even if he hadn't been in front, Mina would have known he was Endymion.

The second man was clad in a gray uniform with turquoise piping. The flap of his jacket bore no rank insignia to fasten the top button and it lay open in a casual manner. He was the only one of the four Generals who wore a cape. He had shoulder length silver hair, but since he couldn't have been old, Mina concluded he was very blond. She couldn't tell, from this distance, if his eyes were gray or lavender and then chided herself for wondering in the first place. _Just be thankful they're not old men,_ she told herself happily.

The third General was also clad in a gray uniform, though his was trimmed in dark green. He had curly red-gold hair and sharp green eyes, and he stood a little shorter than his companions. The fourth had long, wavy dark-brown hair and dark blue eyes. His uniform was trimmed in golden yellow, while the last General's piping was dark red. He had short, slightly curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

The armor-clad man stepped forward and bowed, while the four men behind him knelt again. "I am Endymion, of Earth. These are my Guard: First General Malachite, Second General Zoicite, Third General Nephrite, and Fourth General Jadeite."

Queen Selenity also stepped forward. She held out her hand to the Terran prince. "Welcome to the Moon, Prince Endymion," she said warmly. Despite her reservations, there was something about this boy that she liked immediately. "Welcome, Generals," she said, looking past Endymion after he had politely kissed her hand.

Selenity then turned. "May I present my daughter, the Crown Princess Serenity?"

Serenity stepped forward, meeting Endymion's admiring gaze shyly. "How do you do, Your Highness?"

"I'm honored to finally meet the famed beauty of the Moon," he said, kissing her hand. Serenity blushed at the intensity in his blue eyes. For some reason, laughter sparkled in their depths, lurking beneath his serious demeanor.

Mina, who was watching them interestedly, noted the look in the Prince's eyes. Her own eyes narrowed suddenly before widening in surprise. Individually, she could sense Serenity's silvery aura and the golden aura that surrounded the Terran, but now, standing next to each other, the two auras seemed to blur and blend together in a seamless swirl of color. Her features froze as she realized the implications of this. _I don't believe it._ The two of them had just met, hadn't they? How could a bond like this already be forming? It was a very, very rare occurrence. She resolved to keep an eye on them.

Queen Selenity also saw the spark that seemed to pass between her daughter and the Terran and refrained from frowning. Her first impression of Earth's Crown Prince was good, but it suddenly occurred to her that she had underestimated Serenity's reaction to him. In the sudden silence, she motioned to the four girls standing silently behind the Moon Princess.

"And these are the members of Serenity's court. Princess Mina, of Venus; Princess Ami, of Mercury; Princess Lita, of Jupiter; and Princess Rei, of Mars." They all bowed their heads fractionally; Mina was still too busy examining Endymion and Serenity's auras to be anything more than polite.

The Queen looked at Endymion. "We hope you enjoy your stay on the Moon." She motioned to Luna, who stepped forward and curtsied slightly.

"Your Highness, if you will be so kind as to follow me, we will escort you to your quarters and see to it that you are comfortably settled."

Endymion inclined his head slightly, but his eyes never left Serenity.

Selenity moved towards the garden. "Serenity," she called, "Will you join me for a moment?"

Silently, the Princess walked towards the Queen, avoiding the Terran prince's sea-blue gaze and furiously fighting the blush that stained her cheeks. _Why _was he looking at her like that?

Luna began speaking again to fill a potential awkward silence as the Prince, his Generals, and the Princesses were left standing together amidst a sea of curious Lunarians, but Lita suddenly clapped a hand to her mouth. Her green eyes were wide with dread.

"Oh, my! I forgot about that last batch of star cakes! If you'll excuse me?" she said to the Generals as she hurried off. She could have let the kitchen staff take care of it, but the cakes required special attention, and the pans were extremely heavy.

Endymion didn't appear to notice; his face now wore a thoughtful expression. His generals looked slightly amused, except for Malachite, whose eyes were fixed on his Prince.

"Princess Lita makes a special cake-cookie from Jupiter that Queen Selenity likes," Mina explained helpfully, before Luna could say anything. She gave the Generals a radiant smile. "She had to rush off to check on her last batch while the getting was hard."

Mina's misquotation did not produce the shockwave Rei and Ami were half-expecting. Nephrite smiled faintly, but he was actually thinking about the tall Jupiter princess and how strange it was that she cooked. Zoicite gave Ami a look that asked, _Is she like this all the time?_ The blue-haired princess, though startled that he would single her out, nodded briefly.

In Rei's opinion, the one called Jadeite was either clearly stumped, or cleverly playing along. "I beg your pardon, Princess," he said politely, "but did you say 'while the getting was hard?' May I ask what that means?"

Rei refrained from rolling her eyes. _It's hard to tell with this one,_ she thought.

Turning his attention back to them, Malachite raised his eyebrow sarcastically. "I think her Highness meant 'while the getting's good,'"

"That's what I said," Mina replied cheerfully. She glanced around and, not seeing the servants, who were fighting to get through the mass of people converged on the entryways to the palace, said, "Well, while we're still here, we might as well show you to your rooms and give you an impromptu tour." She gave Luna an impish smile, tucked her arm through Endymion's before he realized what she was doing and began to walk down the hall. Malachite matched their pace, barely noticing Luna was now hastening along beside him, fighting a frown at Mina's impetuousness.

Left behind, Ami and Rei exchanged startled looks. Rei leaned close to Ami and said quickly in a low voice, "What are we going to do with her? Tie her up? Gag her?"

"Threaten her with a book of space/time mathematical problems," Ami said through her teeth. "That should keep her quiet."

"For how long? I still say we ought to tie her up and gag her," Rei muttered. Her dark eyes were flashing purple. "I hope she doesn't talk them to death."

"The Prince looks out of it. It's the General with him I feel sorry for." She motioned slightly towards Malachite.

Rei's eyes narrowed. "I know why he's out of it," she growled. "And he'd better stay away from her if he knows what's good for him."

Ami resisted the urge to look behind her to see if the other two Terrans had moved closer to them. "Rei, calm down please," she said in a barely audible voice.

Behind the two princesses, Jadeite and Zoicite exchanged amused glances. They weren't listening on purpose, oh no, but they couldn't help overhearing this rather interesting conversation. The ladies were speaking very softly, but the two Generals had good hearing.

Clearing his throat firmly, Jadeite watched in amusement as the two princesses stopped their abrupt tête-à-tête and turned to face them. "Your Highnesses," he said smoothly, "May we have the pleasure of escorting you to our destination?"

Ami inclined her head politely. "Certainly, General."

Jadeite was mildly chagrined that Nephrite gallantly offered his arm to Rei before he could, but he quickly claimed Ami. Zoicite was left to catch up with Malachite and Luna, who were just behind their Prince and the chattering Venusian princess.

The servants, who arrived a few minutes later, were confused for the space of two seconds before they just shrugged their shoulders and followed Mina's lead. Everyone knew that Princess Mina was crazy; it was a fact of life. You learned to live with her oddities after a while. They picked up the luggage and fell in line behind the chattering Venusian princess, the silent princesses of Mercury and Mars, Luna, and the visiting Terrans.

Though Endymion clearly wasn't hearing a word she said, Malachite wasn't sure how much more of the blonde princess's non-stop talk he could take. She seemed to be discussing anything and everything. As they walked the halls of the Palace, she told them the stories behind certain paintings and sculptures, and rattled on about a dozen other things. She was gorgeous, that much was obvious, but he suspected that underneath all her cheerful brightness was a mind as empty as a debtor's pockets. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when they reached the elegant set of rooms they were to occupy.

Once the servants had deposited their luggage and the princesses had left, Malachite said irritably, "I hope she's not that talkative all the time. The other two didn't say a word." True, her voice was pleasant, but to have to listen to that from sunup to sundown? The thought made him shudder. To put her out of his mind, he roamed around the room examining it carefully.

"That's because they couldn't get a word in edgewise," Jadeite said with a laugh. He cast a quick, warning look to his friend not to mention what they'd overheard. It would be their little secret for the moment.

"Maybe she was just nervous," Zoicite commented. He winked one eye slowly at Jadeite to show he understood.

"No, I don't think she was nervous," Nephrite put in slowly, for once in his life missing the little exchange between his two friends. "That may be how she is naturally."

Their conversation moved on to their teleportation, but Malachite and Endymion did not participate. Malachite's mind was still fixed firmly on his task of casing their quarters, but Endymion….was clearly not paying attention.

"Moon to Endymion," Jadeite called in a singsong voice. He waved a hand in front of the Prince's eyes. "Come in, Endy."

Endymion jerked and looked startled. "What?"

"What are you thinking about?" Zoicite asked, leaning up against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. "You look like your mind is a million miles away."

"I know what he's thinking about," Jadeite said with a smirk, "and she's not a million miles away." It didn't take a genius to figure that one out. Judging by the tone of Princess Rei's voice, he wasn't the only one who'd noticed the instant attraction between the Terran Prince and the Moon Princess. Odd, that.

"What?" Endymion tried to look innocent. "What are you talking about, Jade?"

The blonde general folded his arms and glanced over at his brown-haired companion. "I think that confirms it, don't you, Neph?"

"Certainly," Nephrite replied smoothly. "He's thinking about a certain Moon Princess with two golden ponytails, two strange looking buns on her head, big baby blue eyes and—"

"All right!" Endymion cut him off. While he was rather annoyed that his Generals noticed everything about her immediately, they knew why he'd volunteered to head negotiations in the first place and were sure to have been on the lookout. "Yes! I was thinking about her! Are you happy now!" He raked a hand through his black hair, turning it into more of a disheveled mess than it already was.

"No." Jadeite flashed a brilliant smile at him.

Nephrite chuckled. "We want to know why."

"Leave him alone," Malachite admonished sternly, from the corner. "Of course you know why."

"Was it her?" Zoicite asked in a quiet voice.

Endymion was silent for a moment. Then he sighed and nodded. "She's even more beautiful than I remember." His memory had attributed incandescent, goddess-like beauty to the Moon Princess and he was convinced he'd fallen short of the mark. His mind took him back two years previous, to a night he was sure he would remember forever.

_A warm, gentle breeze blew through the leaves of the trees lining the garden entrance. Silver moonlight shone over the Terran palace, the patches of light standing in stark contrast to the deep black shadows the moon created. Endymion crept from shadow to shadow, exhilarated with the thrill of sneaking out of the palace and avoiding guards, servants, and his generals alike._

_It had been a long day and he needed a place to sit quietly and think for a while; a place where he could forget for a few moments he was the Crown Prince of Earth. His feet took him down a familiar path to the rose gardens. Their blooms were closed for the night, more was the pity, but their sweet fragrance still filled the air. _

_He slipped inside and began to wander around, enjoying being out in the moonlight. A burst of silver light, brighter than the soft glow around him, caught his attention and he crept forward slowly, using the rose bushes as cover. What he found made his blue eyes widen in complete surprise and he barely managed to remember to keep himself concealed._

_There was a girl standing in the middle of the rose garden, one he was quite sure he had never laid eyes on before. Her golden hair was fastened in the strangest style he had ever seen and it seemed to trail all the way to her feet. She was dressed in a flowing white gown and was bending over the rose bushes with something akin to awe._

_He watched wordlessly as she gently stroked one of the closed roses, as if trying to entice it to bloom for her. Nothing she could do would make it open, however, and she stared at it wistfully. Then she shook her head slightly and straightened. Her eyes darted everywhere, drinking everything in as if she'd never seen it before. She turned around slowly and Endymion barely managed to keep his jaw from dropping. _

_She was without a doubt the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. It was more than mere beauty, however. There was a grace and innocence around her that he found most alluring. He almost stepped out to greet her, but then he caught sight of something on her forehead. If it was possible, Endymion's eyes widened further. In the middle of her forehead, gleaming in the silvery moonlight, was a crescent moon sigil._

_In that instant, the prince knew why he'd never seen her before. She didn't live on Earth. Prudence and wonder warred inside him. He wanted to talk to her, to make sure his tired mind wasn't conjuring up delightful illusions, but at the same time, he couldn't help wondering what a princess from the Moon was doing in the middle of his mother's rose garden. She had to be a princess—her clothes were too richly simplistic to make her anything short of royalty._

_He didn't know how long he knelt there, staring at her. At last, she looked up at the Moon with a startled, almost guilty expression on her face and vanished in a silvery haze. Endymion looked at the spot where she had stood, wishing he had spoken to her. He made up his mind then, that he would find her somehow._

The petition for Earth's admittance to the Silver Alliance came along two years later, and Endymion jumped at the chance. He'd had to explain to his suspicious guardians why he was so eager to go to the Moon, and while they couldn't believe he had managed to keep something like this from them for so long, he had eventually convinced them. So here they were, on the Moon, and he had found the mysterious beauty. A soft smile graced his lips.

The conversation continued, but Malachite tuned it out. He was wondering about the Moon's security measures and trying to figure out how he could best avoid the Princess of Venus without causing an interplanetary crisis. He didn't know if they'd each be paired with one of the Princesses as an escort for the duration of their stay or not, but he hoped he wouldn't be saddled with her. She might have been one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, but her inane chattering was enough to make a man lose his mind—and he had no intentions of losing his mind. Women weren't worth it.

* * *

:chuckles: Are ya'll seeing anything different yet? Anyway, please review and let me know what you think. After disappearing for so long, I'd really like to know if anybody is still interested in this story. Cheers!


	3. Part 2: Of Balls and Gardens

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." –Proverbs 15:1 _

_AN:_ Welcome to revised Part 2. I'm glad y'all are still reading and thank you very much for the reviews. I have one important announcement to make before we continue.

Due to this site's new policy of no longer allowing "reviewer responses" in chapters, I can't continue to do it. On the plus side, they've installed a handy dandy little reply button. Everybody who left me a signed review will get a little note back—I love replying to what y'all have said. It's so much fun.

Anyway, just wanted to give y'all a heads up. Enjoy the chapter.

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**For Love...or Duty**

**Part 2:**

**Of Balls and Gardens**

Mina made sure her maid took special care while helping her dress that evening. Their Terran guests had spent most of the day settling into their new quarters and she was looking forward to getting to know them a little better. She was particularly anxious to find out if she had been seeing things, or if Endymion and Serenity really did have a connection.

She watched her reflection in the full-length mirror hanging on the wall beside the armoire as her maid tied a gold bow into her hair. She wasn't ready to admit it to anyone—almost including herself—but silver-haired General Malachite intrigued her. Maybe it was because the man didn't seem to know how to smile or perhaps it was the fact that out of any of the Terrans, not including Endymion, he had shown not a flicker of interest in her that morning. She had never considered herself shallow, but his lack of reaction was certainly…interesting.

Whatever the reason, she resolved to find out more about him. He couldn't be as cold and reserved as he he? She frowned absently, dismissing her maid with a thank-you and a reminder to have an enjoyable evening. Malachite didn't have the air of a man in love; it was unlikely his heart was otherwise engaged by some charming maiden on Earth. Therefore, it stood to reason her charming personality could probably soften him up. Mina smiled brightly at her reflection and bounced off to see if the other princesses were ready.

When she reached the Moon Princess's quarters, she realized they had a mild crisis on their hands. While otherwise completely ready, Serenity was one step away from a nervous breakdown.

"I'm too embarrassed to go down. I can't!" Serenity wrung her hands together plaintively. Every time she thought about the handsome Terran Prince and the look in his eyes, her heart started beating faster and she blushed crimson. There was _no_ way she'd be able to spend a whole evening around him and retain her sanity. Her knees gave way and she sank down on the couch, her breathing coming in short gasps.

Rei leaned against the wall with crossed arms. "Oh, please, Sere, it's not that bad." She wore a flaming crimson dress that clasped and draped over one shoulder, leaving the other bare. Her black hair hung free and wispy tendrils curled around her shoulders.

"Yes, it is!"

"Fine, stay here. _I'll_ dance with Prince Endymion." Rei allowed a half-smile to cross her face. "He's probably a marvelous dancer."

As she had expected, given the circumstances, Serenity immediately rose up in arms at the thought of someone else dancing with the Prince. "Oh, no, you don't!" She glared blue daggers in Rei's general direction.

"So you're coming?" Rei asked sarcastically, ignoring the lethal vibes emanating from the Lunarian. She didn't like the fact that she had been able to manipulate Serenity so easily, but it was better than having to explain to the Queen why her daughter would not be making an appearance.

"Of course I am." Serenity stuck her nose up in the air. Then, realizing she'd been had, she grinned ruefully at the black-haired girl. "Thank you, Rei."

Rei exchanged a mildly triumphant look with Mina. "Problem solved," she mouthed.

"Good job," Mina sent back.

"Well, ladies," Lita said with a smile, "Shall we go down?" She glanced around the room and frowned. "Ami!"

A guilty look on her face, Ami shoved her book under a cushion. She stood up and smoothed the front of her ocean blue gown, attempting to appear nonchalant. "Yes?"

"We're going down now," Lita told her. "No more books, Ami." She winked cheerfully. "You just might meet someone too. Right, Mina?"

The Venusian beamed. "Exactly!" She struck a dramatic pose. "You never know when Cupid's rock may strike."

The other girls sighed and shook their heads. Lita took one last look in the mirror to make sure that her rose pink ball gown was presentable before moving out of the way. Serenity took her place and smoothed the layers of her white princess gown nervously.

"I'm ready," she announced with only the faintest tremble in her voice.

"Here goes," Rei muttered. She glanced at Mina and said under her breath, "If that man so much as lays a finger on her, I'll fry him."

Mina just rolled her eyes. If Serenity and Endymion were meant to be—and she was willing to bet her crystal sword they were, though she needed more evidence to be absolutely sure—then there would be nothing Rei or anyone else could do about it. From what she had seen that morning, their auras seemed to…complement each other.

As she cast one last look into the mirror before following the others out, Mina decided to keep the news to herself for now. There was no need to alarm anyone or accelerate events any further. Only time would tell.

* * *

The five princesses swept down the grand marble staircase and entered the ballroom. A path was cleared for them and everyone bowed or curtseyed as they passed through to take their places by the Queen's throne. Mina could feel excitement bubbling up inside her at the sight of the Prince and his Generals standing beside the Queen. Ami was right; this truly was a historic occasion.

Queen Selenity stood and raised her hands in the air. "May we have your attention please?" Things quieted down and she smiled. "It is our pleasure and honor to introduce His Royal Highness, Prince Endymion of Earth and his companions, General Malachite, General Zoicite, General Nephrite, and General Jadeite. Please welcome them." The room erupted in polite applause, bows, and curtseys.

"Prince Endymion," Queen Selenity asked when the tumult had died down, "Would you do us the honor of opening the dance?"

"It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty." Endymion crossed to stand in front of the Moon heiress. "Princess, may I have this dance?" he asked with a gallant bow, holding out his hand.

Serenity blushed and placed her small white hand in his larger tanned one. "You may." As soon as they stepped onto the pearl-white marble floor, the orchestra began to play. Endymion swept her fluidly into a waltz.

This left the four princesses and Generals standing together rather awkwardly, all fully aware that the eyes of everyone in the room were now turned on them. After a slight moment of hesitation, Nephrite bowed to Princess Lita. "Your Highness, may I have this dance?"

Lita's face broke out into a lovely smile and she held her hand out to him. "Of course." She noticed with delight that he was a head taller than she.

As they walked away, Nephrite began, "I understand you are fond of the outdoors, Princess. Have you ever gone stargazing?"

Malachite turned to Rei and opened his mouth to speak, but Jadeite beat him to it.

Boldly, the blond general said, "Princess Rei, may I have the honor of your company?" He sensed she would be a very interesting companion and he knew Malachite wouldn't appreciate her.

Rei hesitated for a moment before saying, "I suppose." She gave him her hand reluctantly and the two walked to the dance floor.

"You suppose?" Jadeite asked in amusement. She was most definitely intriguing—it almost seemed as though she'd rather stay on the sidelines. He knew she might have a suitor waiting for her, but as he cast a quick look around, he didn't see anyone lingering about. _Very interesting._

"I suppose I could bear to be around you for a while," Rei replied shortly, with a toss of her head. The rest of their resulting argument trailed off as they disappeared into the crowd.

Malachite's attention was distracted by Jadeite and Rei and by the time he came back to himself, Zoicite stood before Ami.

Zoicite took a deep breath and summoned a smile. There was no question really; something about the blue-haired Mercurian princess drew him. He bowed to her. "Lovely Princess Ami, would you do me the honor of dancing this number with me?" His green eyes met her dark blue ones frankly.

Malachite suppressed a groan. He had been thwarted again.

Ami's cheeks flushed pink, a detail Zoicite noticed with growing interest. "I would be delighted, General." They walked off shyly—until Zoicite, racking his suddenly empty brain for something to talk to her about, asked if she ever played chess. The result was an earnest, technical conversation about the ins and outs of the game that would have taken a fellow chess player to understand. They vanished into the dancing couples on the floor, leaving Mina and Malachite alone.

Mina had been watching her friends and the Generals carefully, her instincts kicking in again, and she thought she saw traces of the same link that she knew was growing between Endymion and Serenity. She turned to Malachite, expecting him to lead her out to the dance floor and felt her initial exuberance begin to drain away. He was just standing there, staring at her expressionlessly. The silence between them lengthened and her stomach started to twist itself into knots. She could almost feel the chilly dislike radiating from him and resorted to her best means of attack when in civilian form—coy flirtation.

"You don't have to dance with me, General, if you don't want to," she said with a smile. "It doesn't bother me. I'm quite sure I'll find another partner." _Yes, it does bother me,_ her heart whispered, _I haven't done anything to deserve such dislike. __Hush._ She airily turned to walk away but Malachite's cold voice stopped her.

"It appears that it is my duty to dance with you, Princess Mina, and I always do my duty."

"How comforting," she remarked brightly, holding back the scathing sarcasm she was tempted to interject.

He led her onto the floor and they began to twirl and sidestep in time with the music. Mina noted how he held himself stiffly, keeping her as far away as he could. "I'm not contagious, you know," she said with a funny smile and an arched eyebrow. "I don't bite, either." She winked.

He didn't respond.

As soon as the dance was over, the General excused himself. Mina stared after him for a brief second, a slightly hurt look on her face before she replaced it with a happy face and went in search of another victim —ahem—dancing partner. If he couldn't stand to dance with her, she'd find someone who would. _Why am I upset about this?_ _I don't care. I don't._

Malachite took a glass of wine from a passing servant and sipped it slowly. Much against his will, he found himself searching the floor for Mina's golden hair and bright smile. There was something almost magnetic about her...despite the fact that she was getting on his nerves. He scowled. _Stop thinking about her. _He tried to still the guilty twinge at the look on her face when the dance ended and he pulled away.

He looked around the room, anywhere but at Mina, who was in sight again, dancing and laughing with another man. Unconsciously, his fist clenched. That man was far too close to the golden princess. Then he realized what he was doing. _What am I thinking?_ he groaned to himself. _It's not like she's mine. We've only just met and I don't even like her. What does it matter how close he is to her?_

Another part of his mind shot back, _He's closer than you were._

He grimaced, _There was a reason for that, you know._

His annoying inner voice retorted, _Then don't complain._

A moment later, Malachite watched in concealed surprise as Nephrite and Lita breezed past, laughing and chatting amicably, followed by Zoicite and Ami, who moved past slowly, doing more animated talking than dancing. Then Jadeite and Rei danced past, lost in the depths of each other's eyes. Apparently they'd forgotten about their earlier disagreement. With a small growl, he turned to view the other end of the room, away from his friends, and could have cheerfully smacked his head against the wall. Endymion and Serenity were dancing together on the balcony, looking as if they were oblivious to everything else in the universe. Which, he reflected sourly, they probably were.

* * *

Throughout the course of the evening, Mina went gaily from one partner to the next—and managed to make a couple of matches in the process. Then, feeling that she had done her job well, she accepted a glass of crystal-clear Moon wine from a servant and swirled it around in her glass absently. The night was still young, and she had already danced with everyone of interest as many times as she chose. Everyone except Malachite, that is.

It was funny, but she felt a stirring of pity for him. He was too gloomy, and didn't seem to have much in the way of a sparkling personality, among other things. Couldn't the guy relax? He looked like he was simply trying to endure the experience. She hated to see someone who was not having fun at a ball. By the time she was through...well, suffice it to say that the unfortunate person was more than happy to get away from her and go have fun.

Mina looked around the room carefully, searching for his distinctive figure. She found him, leaning up against the wall, face expressionless. A bevy of women stood at a distance, as if they were trying to figure out how to approach him, but he studiously ignored them. _Oh, well, might as well take the initiative._ She threaded her way through the crowd towards him with a confident smile on her lips.

"Hello, again, General," she said cheerfully. "Will you be so kind as to dance with me?" She motioned to the dance floor. "I think my last partner just found his soul mate."

Malachite looked at her with a cold expression on his tanned face. "Pardon, Princess, but I think not." His deep voice was even and measured.

"Why?"

The simplicity of the question almost threw him, but he recovered immediately. "I am not a dancer, Highness. Now, if you'll excuse me?" He stalked off.

Mina forced back her anger at the deliberate snub. _He is so rude,_ she thought. _I can't believe I felt sorry for him. _She whirled, head held high, and disappeared into the crowd. The women gradually drifted off, convinced that if the Princess of Venus wasn't able to finagle a dance with the haughty Terran, they didn't stand much of a chance either.

Malachite resisted the urge to look back over his shoulder to watch her go. He found the golden princess utterly irritating, but she possessed a vitality that was rather compelling. He couldn't help but feel that here was a person who was clearly and completely alive. Not that it mattered. He _never_ fell for women. Never. He had learned they were simply more trouble than they were worth.

The General spent the rest of the evening wandering around, trying to avoid the women who persistently tried to get him to dance. Mina was not one of them. Oddly, it was both a relief and a disappointment.

* * *

When the ball finally ended, Mina dragged herself back to her room and kicked off her shoes. She was in the middle of rubbing her aching feet when Rei breezed in and grabbed her arm.

"We're having a meeting in Serenity's room," the fire princess announced. "Come on, Mina." She dragged the blonde barefoot out of the room and down the hall.

When the two reached the Moon Princess's room, Mina noted with very little surprise that Serenity had a dreamy, far-off look on her face. _I knew it, _she thought with satisfaction. She glanced around at her friends and wasn't surprised to see that Lita wore an identical dreamy look as well. Ami was blushing faintly, and even Rei looked somewhat different.

Mina hid a smile. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. Her suspicions about their auras had been correct. _The love bug has flown, _she thought wisely. She plopped down on a pile of fluffy pink cushions and said airily, "All right. What's going on?"

"I think I've met the man of my dreams," Lita said softly, her green eyes sparkling in the dim light. "Nephrite is amazing."

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so after one evening we've dropped the 'General'?"

Lita blushed and looked down at her hands. "Yes. He told me to. Not in public, though."

"Naturally." Mina swiveled her head to stare pointedly at Ami, who sat staring blankly at her feet, a half-smile on her face. Her cheeks were flushed. "Confess, Ami," she said playfully.

The blue-haired girl's face turned a brighter shade of red. "Well, I—um...uh..."

"Out with it," Mina teased.

"Zoicite is quite learned," Ami admitted. "We had a fascinating discussion about chess and space/time mathematical problems." Rei raised an eyebrow. _That_ sounded familiar, but she decided not to go into it. In the long run, whether or not the Generals had overheard her conversation with Ami that morning was inconsequential.

"Is that all?"

Ami blushed harder. "Yes." She ducked her head and rubbed at the fabric of her dress.

Mina decided to lighten up on her and pick on someone else. She stared at the black-haired princess settled on the floor. "Rei, I think you have some explaining to do too."

Rei tossed her head. "I have nothing to say." She crossed her arms and held her head high.

"Come on, Rei, tell us about Jadeite," Lita coaxed, "We saw how the two of you were arguing." She shook her head. "He didn't quite strike me as the argumentative type."

"That's 'General' Jadeite to you," Rei snapped, rising to sit on the couch beside Ami.

"Oooh. Touchy, aren't we?" Mina grinned, her aching feet forgotten for the moment.

"He is...rather interesting," Rei said finally. "And he doesn't appear to be frightened of me either. Which is also interesting."

"He probably hasn't heard the rumors," Lita said teasingly.

"Maybe we should tell him," Mina offered, giving the Martian princess a daring smile. Her blue eyes danced.

A faint flush stained Rei's cheeks. "Don't you dare, Mina," she threatened, "Or I'll fry you. Understand? You're supposed to be the Senshi of Love. You can't do your job if you're burnt to a crisp."

Blue eyes wide in mock-shock, Mina nodded, before bursting out into laughter. _I think she likes him. Or maybe she just likes fighting with him._ She then turned to the only silent person in the room: Princess Serenity.

"Sere, what about you?"

"Hmm?" Startled out of her daydream or whatever it was in which she was immersed, the golden-haired princess looked over at the Venusian. "What did you say, Mina?"

"Tell us about Prince Endymion."

"Yes!" the other girls chimed in. Rei scowled and dug at the floor with a slipper-shod foot.

Serenity blushed pink. "What about him?"

"You like him, don't you?" Mina prodded gently.

"He's wonderful!" Serenity exclaimed. "I've never met anyone like him before." She smiled and propped her chin on her hand. "I think he likes me," she confessed softly, before slipping back into her daydream.

Since there was no getting the Moon Princess back to the Moon, the girls had to relinquish their curiosity until later and find something else to discuss. They turned to the only person who hadn't yet been grilled.

"How was your evening, Mina?" Ami asked, daintily hiding a yawn. She was tired, but her dark blue eyes were still alert.

The blonde shrugged. "It was fine." She didn't want to talk about it and hoped the others would get the message.

Lita smiled. "How many times did you dance with General Malachite?" she asked slyly.

"Once."

"Once!" Lita echoed in amazement, green eyes going wide. "That's all?"

Mina looked unconcerned. "Just once. I don't think he likes me very much. He's very cool and aloof—and I think he's a bit rude too."

Ami looked shocked. "He doesn't strike me as the type who would be rude," she protested. "He's a gentleman, Mina. He's rather aloof, yes—and very serious—but he has manners."

"Well, he was rude to me," Mina retorted. "I asked him to dance with me and he said he'd rather not." She looked indignant. "He said he had better things to do! What in the world could he have to do at a ball except dance?"

"Maybe he's shy," Rei put in sleepily.

Mina snorted. "Him? Shy? I doubt it," she said shortly. "If he's shy, then I'm a frog." She snorted again. "He's about as friendly as a block of ice."

Ami yawned again. "I'm sorry, girls, but I need to go to bed. I cannot stay functional much longer."

"I need to go too," Lita added. She gave Mina a sympathetic look. "Malachite must be blind right now, but don't worry. He'll come around." She grinned. "They always do, don't they?"

"You're sweet." Mina gave the brunette a cheery, albeit sleepy smile, "but I really couldn't care less. We've only just met—it's not like I want him to show an interest in me." She missed the sharp glance Rei shot her.

They all filed out of the room and Mina shut the door carefully behind them, leaving Serenity to her dreams. Once in her own room, Mina crawled tiredly into bed and tried to go to sleep. She didn't succeed; images of the evening kept flashing before her eyes and she relived her second encounter with Malachite over and over. Finally, twisting and tossing with embarrassment, which was unusual for her, she sat up. She pushed her hair out of the way and buried her face into her hands.

_I am so stupid_, she thought. _I never should have walked up to him. Why did I do that? Why? Why didn't I just leave him alone? It was obvious he didn't want company. All I've done is make him think I'm a clingy—clingy—_ The rational part of her mind kicked in suddenly, cutting off her mental tirade. _Why does it matter what he thinks of me? Why am I so upset? I don't even like him._

* * *

The next morning, despite the fact that she'd only had a few hours' sleep, Mina climbed out of her bed and transformed. This time, she slipped out of her window in order to get out of the palace. After all, it would be rather awkward having to explain to the Terrans who she was and why she was there if she should happen to bump into them.

When she reached the coliseum, she picked up a long wooden pole from one of the equipment rooms and took it back to the open ground in the center. All was quiet and she felt some of her jittery tension drain away. She began to go through a series of warm-up exercises, twirling and slashing the pole through the air with well-practiced grace.

She felt more than heard the presence of someone else come up behind her. At the last moment, she whirled and leveled the stick, stopping it a mere two inches from General Malachite's chest. He looked faintly surprised.

"You shouldn't sneak up on someone like that," Sailor Venus said evenly. "Especially since you shouldn't be here without an invitation."

He regarded her with narrowed lavender eyes before nodding slowly. "I was intrigued by this building. My apologies...?" he trailed off uncertainly.

"Sailor Venus," she supplied.

"One of the legendary Sailor Senshi?" His eyes were wider now, staring at her in complete and utter amazement. He had heard all about them from a particularly chatty servant the day before. They almost sounded too good to be true, but here was one standing right before him.

Venus flipped some of her golden hair behind her shoulder. "I wouldn't say we're legendary, but, yes, I am one of them." She put her free hand on one hip and looked up at him. "Who would you be? One of the Princes' Generals?" She knew exactly who he was, but _he_ didn't know that, and she was in the mood to play with his mind.

"I am Malachite. Pleased to meet you." he said gruffly.

She nodded gravely. "Likewise." She turned away from him slightly and took a defensive pose with the pole. "Care to join me?" she challenged lightly.

The silver-haired General shook his head. "I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Inwardly, Venus winced. Why couldn't he be this nice to Mina? Outwardly, she smirked. "You won't hurt me," she said coolly, "In fact, it just might be the other way around!" She tossed him her pole and went to retrieve another.

They saluted each other and the battle commenced. They traded blow after blow; blocking, parrying and thrusting. At first, Malachite was determined to go easy on her. True, she was one of the Sailor Senshi, but she was also a woman, and he didn't want to be responsible for accidentally injuring her. He forced his eyes away from her long, slim legs, which were not covered by the incredibly short skirt she was wearing.

"Do all of the Senshi wear such short skirts?" he asked in a disapproving voice, blocking one of her blows to his midsection.

"Of course we do," she replied. "I mean, really, can you imagine fighting in a regular dress? We'd kill ourselves."

"I see." It made sense, he supposed, but still…it was awfully distracting.

Finally, Venus blocked one of Malachite's blows and abruptly slipped the pole behind his ankle, tripping him. He stared up at her in shock. It had been a long time since someone had been able to beat him. She held her hand out to him and he accepted it after a few seconds' hesitation. She helped him up, and then dusted her hands off while he simply looked at her.

In the high tower above the Moon Palace, the clock began to chime the hour. Venus immediately realized it was much later than she'd thought and said, "If you'll excuse me now, General? I have some things to attend to." With a cheery smile, she sprinted off towards the exit and disappeared from the coliseum grounds.

Malachite stared after her, a curious look on his face. He had just met one of the Sailor Senshi and she had managed to beat him in friendly combat. It was something of a blow to his ego, but it meant that these warriors were exactly that—warriors. It was a good thing to know. He frowned. Venus vaguely reminded him of Mina—in looks, certainly not attitude—but they couldn't possibly be the same person. It had to be the fact that both of them were probably from Venus. Slowly, he returned to the Palace.

* * *

Venus quickly detransformed and took the back route to her room. She quickly cleaned up and prepared herself for the day. _I've got to stop thinking about him,_ she thought, but her mind just wouldn't get off of the subject of Malachite. A million questions tumbled over and over in her head. Why was he so cold to her when she was Mina? Why did he seem to be a bit more polite to Sailor Venus? Why was he such a cold, stiff-as-a-board person in the first place?

He was a skilled warrior, that much was obvious, and the fact that she had been able to beat him was more a testament to the fact that he'd been going easy on her than anything else. He hadn't really expected her to be much of a challenge and it had backfired on him. A wide smile broke out on Mina's face at that thought. Well, she'd shown him, hadn't she?

The Venusian took one last look at herself in the mirror. She wore a sunshine yellow dress today and, as always, her front hair was tied back by a matching bow. _Well, here goes._

She stepped out of her room and saw Lita just emerging from her own quarters. The tall Jovian princess looked rather worried, but her face brightened when she saw Mina. "Mina!" she exclaimed. "Do I look presentable? Should I have chosen a different dress?"

The blonde eyed her critically. The forest green dress suited Lita almost as well as the rose pink gown she'd worn the night before. "I think you look wonderful." Then she smiled slyly." We wouldn't happen to be dressing up for a certain Terran general, now would we?"

"Of course not," Lita replied smoothly. But there was a twinkle in her eye that belied her words.

Chatting amicably, the two princesses joined Ami, Rei, and Serenity as they strolled down to the airy dining room. Serenity looked excited and slightly nervous. Ami was blushing lightly, and Rei appeared to be looking forward to something.

_Probably arguing with Jadeite,_ Mina thought with a grin. She'd noticed that when the Martian princess and the Terran general hadn't been dancing and gazing into each other's eyes, they'd held up a running argument of playful banter. Mostly playful, anyway. Jadeite would never know how close he came to being fried a couple of times. _What he doesn't know won't kill him._

* * *

In the dining hall, Prince Endymion sat with his Generals and the Queen as they awaited the arrival of the princesses. Endymion was impatient to see Serenity, but he politely held a conversation with Queen Selenity.

Selenity, Malachite noted, looked somewhat amused and yet somewhat worried and apprehensive as well. He took a sip of his water and looked around the room. White, pale pink, and silver seemed to be the dominant color schemes in this place. Suddenly, voices approached, silvery, lilting voices, and he and the other men rose politely as the five Inner princesses made their awaited appearance.

"You're a bit late this morning," the Queen observed mildly.

Princess Serenity ducked her head. "My apologies, Mother, Prince Endymion. I—overslept this morning, I'm afraid."

"We were recuperating from the ball," Mina put in respectfully, yet with dancing eyes. It wasn't completely true, since she had been out and Sailors Mercury and Mars had both been spotted around the palace that morning, but it would do.

Malachite looked at her shrewdly. Her voice...there was something about it that reminded him of Sailor Venus's, but again he told himself it was impossible. Princess Mina could not possibly be the calm, cool, serious Senshi he had competed against just a few hours before. She couldn't be.

Rather, and he grimaced inwardly at the thought, he was noticing things in other people that reminded him of the Senshi. _Marvelous,_ he thought bitterly. _Just what I need. A woman rattling around in my head. Even if she is a warrior._ He kept a scowl from his face only through years of experience.

Due to the fact that the Serenity, Rei, Ami, and Lita all ended up intentionally sitting across from their dancing partners of the night before, Mina found herself seated across from the silver-haired Malachite. "Good morning, General Malachite," she chirped brightly.

He gave her an icy stare. "Good morning."

Mina couldn't help looking at him, so she continued to talk to him, or _at_ him really, since he seldom responded. "Where do you think your Prince will want to go today, General?"

"I haven't the faintest idea." He began to eat, methodically listening and tuning her out.

If there was anything Mina hated, it was being ignored. "We have a lovely flower garden, if you'd care to see that, and perhaps later in your visit we can visit the city." When he still didn't respond, she narrowed her eyes. _All right_, she thought rebelliously, _If you're going to be rude and ignore me, I'll have to keep pestering you. This means war._

When breakfast was over, Endymion stood and bowed politely to Queen Selenity. "It was a wonderful meal, your Majesty."

"The first ambassadorial conference will be held later this afternoon," the Queen announced. She smiled at the group. "In the meantime, Serenity, why don't you all show our guests around the palace?"

Serenity bowed her head. "Yes, Mother."

After the silver-haired monarch left the room, the princess turned to Endymion. "Where would you like to go first, Prince?"

The young man turned his stormy eyes to Mina for a brief moment. "I believe I heard you say something about the royal flower gardens, Princess Mina?"

Mina smiled. "I did." She glanced at Malachite. "At least _someone_ was listening to me," she teased. He didn't react. _Just you wait,_ she thought.

Endymion offered his arm to Serenity. "In that, case, Princess, why don't we go see them?"

Serenity happily agreed and the two of them started off. Rei stared after them, and Mina could almost see her fury and suspicions rising. The Martian narrowed her eyes and began to march quickly after Serenity.

Ami and Lita exchanged looks. This was not a good sign. They were all protective of Serenity where men were concerned—but Rei took it to a new level. In her favor, Mina supposed she had more reason to be distrustful of men than the rest of them.

In the midst of gathering up steam to bear down on the Terran Prince, Rei found her path blocked. She looked up and snapped, "Excuse me."

"You're excused," Jadeite said amicably. "Princess," he began, before Rei could think of a retort, "I've heard that there are some fireflowers from Mars in the garden." He conveniently left out the fact that Rei had told him that the night before. "Would you mind showing them to me?"

"Oh, it would be _such_ a shame not to see the fireflowers, wouldn't it?" Rei asked, her voice dripping with polite sarcasm. "We wouldn't want you to get lost in our _enormous_ garden."

Jadeite sensed there was more going on here than met the eye and simply smiled at her. "I knew you'd say yes. You're too kind." He took her arm and began to walk down the hall.

Rei, however, stood fast. "You're trying to distract me," she accused.

His blue eyes danced at her. "Yes. And it's working."

Rei's mouth fell open in shock.

Mina tried to hold back her laughter and braced herself. The Martian princess was going to blow her top. From his place beside the Venusian princess, Malachite shook his head. Jadeite wasn't usually this forward and it looked like it was going to get him into deep trouble. Zoicite, Nephrite, and Lita looked amused, while Ami had a faintly worried expression on her face.

Rei wrenched her arm free and put her hands on her hips. She glared at the blond General, her violet eyes flashing. If looks could kill, Jadeite would have been a smoldering pile of ashes. "You slimy little—" she began hotly. Perhaps not the most diplomatic thing to say to a visiting guest, but she was past caring.

"I beg your pardon," he protested indignantly. "For your information, Highness, I am not slimy."

"No?" she asked in a dangerous voice.

"No. I'm perfectly dry." Jadeite had a serious look on his face. He glanced down at himself. "I promise you I've stayed away from the mud puddles for at least the past week."

Mina lost it. She burst out laughing. It was contagious, and soon everyone was laughing too except Jadeite, Malachite, and Rei. The blond general continued to stare at Rei with a cool grin, despite the deep scowl on her face. Malachite wore the faintest hint of a smile.

In between gales of merriment, Mina gasped out, "Rei, I think you've met your match."

Rei frowned. "We'll see," she snapped testily, pushing her raven hair out of her face. With that, she grabbed Jadeite's arm and tugged him along behind her as she strode towards the flower gardens. She did _not_ want Mina spouting off some rubbish about how they were destined for each other. Frankly, Jadeite wasn't going to live that long. Even if he did….well…she wasn't going down that trail.

"Well, _that_ was exciting," Zoicite commented lightly. "Is she this volatile all the time?"

Ami giggled. "Not all the time, but fairly close. You should hear her argue with Serenity."

He winced playfully. "I'm not sure I'd want to."

"It does make studying difficult," Ami agreed. "Most of the time I try to tune them out, but sometimes..." she trailed off and shook her head.

Zoicite cocked his head. "Studying?"

Ami turned to him, a surprised look on her face. Hadn't they covered that the night before? "Of course. We're princesses. We have to learn how life on our planets works. Economics, architecture, science—"

"Food," Lita interjected. "Never, ever forget the food. Especially with Serenity."

"Ah, I beg your pardon." Zoicite hesitated a moment, then asked with a slight bow, "That reminds me, Princess, perhaps we could play a game of chess after seeing the gardens?"

Ami gravely nodded her head, a faint smile hovering on her lips. "It would be my pleasure. This way."

Zoicite offered the slender Mercurian princess his arm and the two meandered down the hall together.

Malachite shook his head. If he hadn't suspected it the night before, he was sure of it now. _There goes another one._ He'd always considered Zoicite to be the levelheaded one too. Certainly, he flirted with ladies, but he never took things any further. But apparently, he was falling for the princess of Mercury. On that count though, Malachite was sure the attraction was returned. One had only to look at the way Princess Ami blushed.

Nephrite saw the look on his friend's face and almost laughed, knowing what Malachite was thinking. "Princess Lita," he began, turning a charming smile on the tall girl beside him, "Would you care to go to the gardens now?"

"I'd love to," she replied warmly. "Perhaps you can tell me about Earth's forests, General." He offered her his arm and the two walked comfortably to the garden. "I've read about them, but I would dearly love to hear about them from someone who's actually seen them. Jupiter has forests, but I don't think they're the same kind."

Nephrite chuckled. "Of course, Princess. It would be my pleasure."

Before Nephrite and Lita were lost from sight, Mina turned to the silver-haired man with a beaming smile and slipped her arm into his. _I'm going to get him to loosen up if it's the last thing I do. _"Come on, General. Let's go see if Rei and General Jadeite have caught up to your prince and Serenity yet." With that, she took off down the hall, tugging him along after her.

Malachite winced and lengthened his stride to keep up with her.

Throughout the rest of the morning, Mina stayed close to Malachite, hanging off his arm as long as he could stand it and generally annoying the living daylights out of him. Even if she hadn't been determined to get through his incredibly thick defenses, they would still have been paired together.

Endymion and Serenity were lost in their own little world and the other princesses and the generals weren't in much better shape. Even shy, bookish Ami was having a wonderful time. The blond general was having a ball irritating the Martian princess and keeping her from stalking after Endymion and Serenity. Malachite thought it was very strange; Jadeite didn't usually behave like that.

Finally, the noon lunch hour arrived. Mina was busy pulling Malachite around after her as she flitted around the garden, chattering about this flower and that flower until he heartily wished she would lose her voice. The others were also wandering around admiring the scenes, but they had drifted off in different directions.

Fed up with Malachite's silent treatment, Mina dropped his arm and whirled suddenly, following a silver butterfly out of sheer boredom. She nearly bumped into a black-haired woman coming the other way. "Oh! Luna, I'm sorry. I didn't see you," she apologized brightly.

Luna waved a hand. "I'm fine, Princess Mina. Actually, I've come to invite all of you to lunch. The first conference will be held afterwards."

Mina made a face. "Ugh, stuffy old politics," she muttered. "Well, General, let's get the others."

Malachite refrained from gritting his teeth in frustration as he was promptly dragged away again. He was not going to allow this treatment much longer, proper manners or no. There had to be something he could do.

Watching the pair disappear in the direction of the palace, Luna hid a smile. Mina was obviously punishing the General for something—probably his lack of attention—and it would be interesting to see how long the Terran held out before he snapped.

* * *

I know y'all really want new chapters, but bear with me. I'm much happier with the revised version, and since I'm getting it straightened out, new chapters will follow.

Let me know what you thought. Cheers!


	4. Part 3: Confessions From the Heart

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Ack! This is what I get for posting chapters before my beta reader finished with them. Dejana is brilliant at picking out plot holes and she found a few things in the revised chapters I posted previously. I won't make that mistake again. (Speaking of which, she has two new one-shots up that are definitely worth reading. Just look up Dejana Talis.)

This chapter warranted enough changes, additions, and extensions that I really hope y'all take the time to read it. I think you'll like most of them--particularly the addition to the Rei/Jadeite scene. Out of the others, probably the only chapter you may want to read over is the prologue--there are a few major differences.

I'm really sorry this is taking so long. On the plus side, I'm working on Part 4 now, and later chapters will not need as much revision. (That's a good thing, because I'm getting revved up about the new chapters in the works. I can't wait to finish writing this story.)

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy--again--and thank you for being patient with me.

_"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."— Song of Songs 4:1, NIV_

**

* * *

**

**For Love or Duty**

**Part 3:**

**Confessions From the Heart**

The noon meal was rather uneventful. Quiet chatter filled the air, punctuated here and there by bursts of laughter. To give Rei a break from Jadeite's particular brand of humor and to give the fiery princess a chance to cool down, Ami slipped into the seat across from the blond General. Lita and Mina took the seats on either side of her. Relieved, Rei sat down at the end of the table across from Malachite. She sent a grateful look to Ami, who smiled at her reassuringly. Nephrite calmly took the seat opposite Lita, leaving Zoicite to sit facing Mina. Endymion and Serenity of course, were seated across from each other. His Generals knew better than to interfere.

Mina chattered happily about this and that and Zoicite listened to her in amazement. He was astonished that she could talk as much as she did and still be able to eat. Flicking his gaze around the table subtly, he noticed that the Mercurian princess was very quiet, despite several of Jadeite's attempts to engage her in conversation.

Though he tried to keep his focus firmly away from her, Jadeite's eyes kept straying to the black-haired girl sitting at the other end of the table. Nephrite and Lita were deep in conversation about the differences in how the constellations appeared from Jupiter, the Moon, and Earth. Endymion and Serenity were politely conversing with Luna and Queen Selenity. Malachite and Rei were the only silent people at the table. He was silent from habit, she just to calm her rattled nerves. Jadeite was extremely good at ruffling her feathers and it bothered her.

When the meal was over, Queen Selenity stood. "Shall we adjourn?"

The Generals and the Princesses stood as well and followed the silver-haired ruler to a large room with a huge table and comfortable chairs. The Moon Queen's advisors were already seated inconspicuously. "Please be seated," she invited cordially.

Malachite was slightly surprised that the princesses were a part of the process as well, but he reminded himself they were probably acting as representatives of their respective planets. He glanced over at the Princess of Venus, who wore a strangely thoughtful expression on her face. This would be interesting.

Selenity sat up straight in her chair. "Prince Endymion, consider this your preliminary hearing. If you demonstrate to me that Earth will be a valuable addition to the Silver Alliance, I will take your case to the High Council."

Endymion bowed his head slightly. "I understand perfectly, Your Majesty."

"Very well then. We shall begin."

* * *

Mina sighed to herself, thankful the day was over. The first meeting had lasted until right before the evening meal; several hours' worth of polite, delicately couched statements that had served no real purpose other than to begin to bridge a gap several centuries wide. It didn't matter Selenity had kept in touch with the Terran King via Luna—there was still so much about Earth they knew nothing about. 

Mina collapsed onto her bed, too tired to even change clothes. She wasn't quite sure why, but it seemed that the afternoon of deliberations had taken more out of her than a full day of training. She would have preferred a day of training, come to think of it.

Though she often chose to ignore it for the more direct approach, Mina could well appreciate subtlety. It had its purposes. However, politics were one area in which she wished more bluntness could be used. She wished heartily they could just come out and ask what Earth really wanted. It would save a great deal of time and energy.

While she had to give points to Endymion for the way he had handled things with great aplomb and diplomatic tact, even she was aware there was something he wasn't telling them. It was not obvious, but it was there, lurking beneath the surface, coloring everything he said. Earth was a proud planet; they had delighted in relying on no one but themselves. Wanting to expand their horizons and export goods wasn't enough of an answer after the centuries they had spent ignoring the rest of the galaxy.

No, there was an underlying reason behind their sudden reversal. There had to be. Mina knew Selenity (and by probable extension, the High Council) wanted to accept Earth as part of the Alliance, but there was something decidedly odd about the whole thing. Selenity had refrained from pressing Endymion further about the subject, choosing instead to move on to other topics until they stopped for the day.

The evening meal had been only slightly tense; a day of dubious politics wasn't enough to dampen the attraction in the air. Afterwards, they had chatted together with Endymion and his Generals for a short while before the Queen retired for the night. The Princesses soon followed suit and everyone went to bed to prepare for another day of fun and mind games.

The blonde Venusian rubbed her forehead wearily. _This is going to take a while_. It didn't take a genius like Ami to see that things were even more complicated than she had originally thought. At this rate, she was sure that the 'peace' process could take weeks, if not months. _Wonderful._

Mina groaned to herself and smacked her pillow angrily as she rolled over. _I just want things to go back to normal. _She wanted life as it had been, before the arrival of the Terrans. Before she had to deal with the niggling thought that if a relationship did indeed bloom between Serenity and Endymion, she was going to be seeing a great deal more of these Terrans than she had ever intended.

* * *

What with negotiations and other matters, which included the Terrans spending almost all of their free hours with the Moon Princess and her court, time passed slowly for Malachite. He breathed a sigh of heartfelt relief when each day was over and took to sitting out on his balcony looking up at Earth, just enjoying the quiet in the evening. 

Mina hadn't been as clingy after the second day—his chilly attitude might have discouraged her—but she was always popping up and misquoting things or making cheerful small talk. After a while, she was just too much. Of course, the odd thing was that some small part of him looked forward to seeing her. He couldn't imagine why.

Malachite shifted uneasily in his seat. That wasn't true—he did know why. She and the Moon Princess shared two very similar traits. They were both vibrant, buoyant individuals, and they both had the same gift of picking up on moods and making people comfortable. More than once he'd seen Mina say something encouraging to a maid or guard who looked unhappy, and her talent for matchmaking was almost as legendary as the Sailor Senshi. She attempted, in her own way and regardless of whether or not it was needed, to lift his spirits and the fact that she even tried was gratifying in a small way.

Sailor Venus, on the other hand, was a different matter. He was no closer to figuring her out than he had been at the outset. The Generals had been formally introduced to the Senshi the fourth day of their visit, and he had met Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mercury. Venus pretended they were complete strangers but winked at him carefully, which shocked him and nearly disrupted his composure. He hadn't expected that of her. Winking at him was something more along the lines of what Mina would do. _Maybe they're related,_ he mused. It was certainly a possibility.

Malachite propped his booted feet on the white marble railing of his balcony, eyes distant as the other events of that day replayed themselves in his mind. The Sailor Senshi had gracefully challenged the Generals to a sparring match—no magic involved. He smiled faintly as he recalled the surprise on Endymion's face. The Prince had not been expecting that at all, but he gave his permission. Lots were cast and Malachite had found himself up against the tall Senshi of Jupiter. Nephrite had been paired with Sailor Venus, Sailor Mercury against Jadeite, and Sailor Mars against Zoicite.

He had won his own match by a fraction, and had it been a real battle he was quite sure that Jupiter would have taken him down along with her. Malachite shook his head. How was it that they allowed women to be trained like that? Wasn't the Queen the least bit concerned for the girls' safety?

Frowning, he remembered that shortly after the competition, the Sailor Senshi excused themselves and disappeared. It had struck him as odd that Serenity was the only one of the princesses present for the match, but she had explained to Endymion her friends had been obliged to sort through some important papers newly arrived from their planets. Malachite accepted that, though he knew Zoicite had been a tad suspicious. It didn't bother him however; Zoicite was nearly always suspicious of something. It was in his nature to question everything.

Malachite's mind wandered back to Sailor Venus and the rather scandalous wink she had given him. He had to admit she seemed to be a good leader, and there was no doubt that her fighting skills were honed. She had beaten Nephrite in their match, though not by much. Malachite found himself hoping at some point he would be able to face her again. He wouldn't be so easy on her now that he knew what she was capable of.

The silver-haired general spent another few moments out on the balcony, staring at the blue-green globe in the sky that was his home. He tried to push Sailor Venus out of his mind and was successful—only to have Mina invade it a few minutes later. Her bubbly cheerfulness grated against his nerves at times, yet he felt a little more cheerful himself being around her. Her zest for life was contagious—not that he would show it.

He rarely loosened up, though he smiled more at home than he did here. It drove his friends crazy. Even Endymion begged him to relax on occasion. But he saw no reason to do so. Someone had to be the serious one, the one who kept a cool head at all times…the one who could always be counted on to do his duty. And he would do his duty.

Always.

* * *

Towards the end of the two months the Terrans spent on the Moon, Mina watched her friends fall more and more in love. There was no doubt about it. They did a good job of hiding their growing feelings—after all, there were complications to consider—but Mina had grown up with them and she was a Venusian to boot. She could tell. 

They were in love, and from the looks of the auras she was picking up, there was something more than love there too. Something that would last a lot longer. Something along the lines of a soul bond. Mina's powers were still growing, but she knew soul mates when she saw them. Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion were soul mates, at the least, even if none of the others were.

The prince and princess were also the only ones openly intimating that they cared about each other. Everyone else pretended they were simply people who had come to be good friends. Mina smiled and shook her head in amazement. She knew the truth, and the truth was that her friends were head over heels for the Terrans. On the other hand, she was fairly certain that the feeling was mutual.

Mina sighed softly. _Wouldn't that be ironic? Serenity, Ami, Lita, and Rei all find true love while I sit off to the side by myself rejoicing in the fact that I'm able to recognize they've found true love. _Deep in thought, she stared out the window.

When they weren't involved in peace talks and ambassadorial meetings, her friends and their visitors were off in couples, strolling the flower gardens, or just sitting and talking. They were never without chaperones, but the servants shadowing them were discreet and gave them ample privacy.

As far as she knew, today her friends were exploring the unrestricted sections of the palace with the Generals. Malachite had excused himself some time ago and vanished. Mina knew he was glad to be rid of her presence. The thought stung a little. Of course, she was happy to be free from his gloomy personage as well...but she still hated to be left to play the fifth wheel. It was hard to be a third party in a conversation for two. Shortly after he disappeared, she discreetly slipped away. She had been in the mood for a quiet hour or two and found a small window seat in an alcove set in one of the less populated corridors where she could curl up and mull things over.

The Venusian bit her lower lip, thinking about Malachite. The silver-haired General disliked her intensely when she was Mina. Only when she was Sailor Venus and she wasn't as cheerful and bubbly did he seem to be more—well, more human. _He's so cold and stern all the time,_ she thought pensively, _Doesn't he ever loosen up?_ It was then that she became aware, rather bitterly, that she had used the time they had been forced to spend together during the past two months attempting to get him to relax and all she had accomplished was to irritate him.

He apparently wasn't impressed by her looks, and he didn't seem to think much of her personality either. She wasn't sure why she irked him so much, but it did nothing for her self esteem that he was marginally warmer towards her alter ego. Sailor Venus simply showed a side of her personality Mina didn't let out often.

_I'd rather he liked me because I'm Mina,_ she realized in shock, staring blankly across the lake. _Not because I'm Sailor Venus. Although, if he did find out that we're the same person, he'd probably never speak to me in either form ever again. Not that he talks to me anyway._ She shook her head. _Why do I care what he thinks about me? I don't like him. I don't. Really. I can't. He's not my type._

_Oh?_ an annoying little part of her mind asked sarcastically. _And just what is your 'type'?_

_Not him. Definitely **not** him._ Her type was not someone who was more or less blind to her very existence.

Mina was so lost in thought that when someone came up behind her and touched her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh!" she gasped, whirling around on the cushioned seat. "You frightened me, General Zoicite." Her heart was beating wildly, and she put her hand over it to still it. _'This is good,_ she thought acerbically_. Leader of the Senshi dies of fright when a Terran general sneaks up on her. Good going, Mina,_ she complimented herself sarcastically.

Zoicite's cheeks flushed slightly and he looked down in embarrassment, a stray lock of red-gold hair dropping into his face. "My apologies, Princess." He twisted his hands nervously, while Mina looked on with faint amusement. Ami was nowhere in sight; neither were any of his friends. She had a feeling she knew why he had come.

"What is it?" she asked, not unkindly.

"Well, uh—," he fumbled for the right words. "You see, Princess Mina, I have heard that Venusians, especially royalty, have an ability to sense things of the heart…and…I've heard about your matchmaking skills."

Mina raised an eyebrow. _He's been asking around? Interesting. _Even she didn't know the extent of her fame; Zoicite had never needed to ask around. "That's true, to some extent."

"I was wondering if perhaps you...knew anything about Am—Princess Ami and how she feels?" Zoicite's face was beet red now. This was quite harder than he had expected.

Mina looked at him for a moment, meeting his gaze and reading the emotions and thoughts behind his green eyes. "Why don't you ask her and find out?"

"I—I..." Zoicite trailed off, unable to finish. He'd thought that same thing himself, but he was terribly afraid of having misread her signals and throwing a perfectly good friendship into arrears. Even if the subject was slightly embarrassing, he knew Mina would be sympathetic and if he'd been imagining things, she would let him down gently.

In the short time she'd known him, Mina had never seen Zoicite at a loss for words and she tried to keep from smiling. "Let me guess, General," she said quietly. "You care for her, but you're not sure she feels the same way."

Zoicite nodded, his attention fixed on her as if she held all the answers in the universe.

Mina clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them, staring up at him. "Well, I would have to say that you've not been very observant then."

He looked surprised. Very surprised. She knew he prided himself on his intelligence and hastened to explain. "Now, perhaps it's because I've known Ami for most of our lives, but she's never talked about anyone the way she talks about you, and I've never seen her flush and turn red like she does whenever someone mentions your name. Just like you're doing now, by the way," she added conversationally. "Now if that doesn't indicate _something_, well, then I'm a monkey's cat."

Now Zoicite looked confused, but he also looked relieved. Hope ignited again inside him. _She talks about me? _That was a good sign. Aloud he said, "So, seeing that you've known Ami for so long, what would you suggest I do?" His green eyes were focused on her completely. "Tell her the way I feel?"

"Exactly." Mina beamed at him and winked conspiratorially. "I think you'll be happy with the results."

Zoicite took Mina's hand and kissed it, then bowed. "Thank you so much, Your Highness, for the clarification." And with that, he was off like a shot.

Mina smiled. She could just imagine the rapture her friend was going to be in and it made her laugh. Ami deserved someone to care for her like that. Then she sighed and swiveled around to stare out the window again. Why was it she could manage everybody else's love life, but her own was practically nonexistent?

* * *

Just down the hall, Malachite had been strolling idly along when he heard low voices. He thought nothing of it until he recognized both Zoicite and Mina and the realization stopped him short, eyes narrowing coldly. What was _he_ doing speaking to _her_ alone? He edged closer and then his eyes widened as he realized what they were discussing. 

Now that Zoicite had rushed off, he leaned up against the wall, processing everything he had just heard. Despite the rumors, this was a side to Mina that he definitely had never seen before, and heaven knew he had spent enough time around her lately to know what she was like. She had sounded mature and she had given his friend sound advice without belittling him.

Malachite poked his head around the corner cautiously, feeling like a fool, but he didn't want to face the blonde princess unless he absolutely had to. She was seated on a window seat, gazing out with a preoccupied look on her face. The cheery sunlight glinted off her hair and seemed to brighten the area around her. _She is beautiful,_ his mind whispered, _It's a shame she's not very bright._ As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he chased it away. She _was_ bright, in her own way, and the fact that his heart had begun to skip a beat or two every time she turned her dazzling smile on him was irrelevant, wasn't it?

The General began to feel a tad mixed-up, and wrenched his mind away from her. His eyes too. Then he did an abrupt about-face and marched back down the hall the way he had come. Some trains of thought led to dangerous ground and were best left unexplored.

* * *

After leaving Mina to her reflections on life, Zoicite meandered through the beautiful Moon palace, casually searching for Ami. The Queen had called her away some time before, and in the process of straightening out the emotions and thoughts in his mind, he had found Mina. The General ran a hand nervously through his curly red-gold hair. It was one thing to know the course of action he should pursue, quite another to actually take the plunge. _How do I tell her?_ he wondered. _What do I say? What do I do?_

He frowned to himself and absently turned a corner. Not watching where he was going, he plowed directly into a person coming the other way. "I beg your pardon!" he exclaimed. He realized he had run into Ami and reached out to catch her arms and keep her from hitting the floor. "I'm very sorry, Princess Ami. I was...thinking...and I wasn't watching where I was going."

Ami smiled up at him, a pink flush in her cheeks. "You're forgiven, General."

Zoicite let go of her and stepped back a little, trying to compose himself. _Why am I so nervous?_ he asked himself. _I've courted a number of women before._ Never very seriously—somehow he could never stay interested for more than a few weeks—but it wasn't like he was a novice. Why was it she had the ability to make him forget he knew how to speak at all?

The blue-haired angel beside him turned her navy blue gaze on him. "You seem to be in a hurry, General. I won't keep you."

"Actually," he blurted out, "I was looking for you."

Ami's eyes widened. "Me?" There was something different about his demeanor and her heart started beating faster. She willed it to return to normal, but naturally, it wouldn't listen.

The green-eyed Terran almost broke out into a cold sweat. _Oh, that was smooth._ "I was—I was wondering if you would be so kind as to play me a game of chess?" He bowed. "And, if I may be so bold as to remind you again, Princess, you are welcome to call me Zoicite."

Ami felt relieved and disappointed at the same time but she smiled brightly. "I'd be happy to play chess with you, Zoicite."

He offered her his arm and they walked down the hall together. "If I may ask," Zoicite said, "What did Queen Selenity need you for?"

Ami waved a hand dismissively. "Her Majesty just wanted to discuss a few things about this latest conference, that's all."

The pair reached the library and Zoicite gallantly held the door for her. She smiled at him and walked in, feeling some of her tension drain away. The library had always been a place of calm and peacefulness for her and she was immediately more comfortable. They seated themselves at an ornate wooden chess table that had come from Jupiter and began to set up the board.

Ami picked up a white marble pawn and a silver pawn and held them behind her back as she mixed them up. Then she held out her closed hands. "Which do you choose?"

Zoicite motioned to her right hand. Ami opened it, revealing the white pawn, and handed it to him.

"You start first."

"Very well." Zoicite placed the pawn back into position and moved his first piece. He tried to focus on the game, but all he could think about was the beautiful lady across the tiny table and how to tell her how much he cared for her.

Ami frowned to herself as she captured the General's last bishop. This was too easy. Her puzzlement increased when, through a series of moves that a novice could have blocked, she took his queen. "Is something the matter, Zoicite?" she asked, looking up to find his green eyes steadily observing her.

"Not that I know of," he replied. "Why?"

"You're not playing very well." Ami motioned to the board. The Terran General had about five pieces left. "That last move—you could have avoided that in your sleep."

Zoicite looked down at the board and realized that she was right. He looked back up at her with a wry smile. "I wasn't really paying attention to the game," he admitted ruefully.

Ami raised an eyebrow. "Well, then what were you doing?" She was amazed at how comfortable she felt around him.

He took a deep breath. _It's now or never,_ he decided. "I was thinking about you, Ami."

She gasped and eyed him warily. The huge library seemed to close in on her and she found herself abruptly wondering where everyone had gone. _Why_ had they chosen _now_ of all times to leave her alone with him?

Zoicite reached across the small table and took her hand, keeping his eyes fixed on her face. "You are an amazing person, Princess. You're intelligent, gentle, kind-hearted...and you're the most beautiful woman I've ever had the honor of meeting."

Ami blushed fiercely and looked away. "I'm not beautiful," she mumbled.

The General gently turned her scarlet face back towards him with long, slender fingers. "Ami," he said quietly, "You are beautiful. As beautiful as you are sweet." His brilliant green eyes were soft and warm. "But that's not the only reason I love you."

The Mercurian princess's heart nearly stopped. "You what?" she exclaimed. She pulled away from his touch and stared at him with wide, startled eyes.

"I love you, Ami." He spread his hands. "You're everything a man could ever hope to have." He gave her a soft, wistful smile. "I'm not royalty, Princess, and I never will be. I can't aspire to ever be worthy of you, but I want you to know that I love you with all my heart." He took a breath. "I would do anything for you, Ami. Anything."

She stared at him seriously for a moment, and Zoicite met her gaze, offering her everything in his eyes. The flame of hope burning in his heart flickered. He'd misread her—Mina had misread her. She didn't care for him that way.

But then, the Mercurian Princess nodded slowly. She glanced down with a heavy blush and said in a low voice, "I—I love you too, Zoi." She looked up at him and he saw that her dark blue eyes were tranquil and happy. "I think I have for some time now."

His face broke into a wide smile. "You do?" he breathed.

Ami nodded, not trusting herself to speak further. Eyes sparkling, Zoicite leaned forward and kissed her shyly, framing her face with his hands. She looped her arms around his neck and he kissed her again, softly. Then he rested his forehead against hers. "I love you," he said again.

She smiled happily. "I never thought I'd meet anyone like you."

He chuckled, the sound welling up exuberantly from deep inside him. "I know. I never knew that there are actually women as bright as you." At her indignant glare, he held his hands up. "You know what I mean, don't you?"

She nodded ruefully. Zoicite pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and then returned to his seat. No one, coming in just then, would have seen anything amiss. The General took a deep breath. "Well. Now that _that_ is over with, how about another game?" He gave her a roguish smile. "I'll win this time, love."

Ami raised her eyebrows at the challenge. "Oh really? We'll just see about that."

* * *

A few days later, the princesses and the Generals went outside after dinner for their customary stroll around in the gardens. Ami and Zoicite, Mina noted with satisfaction, were walking together comfortably, her arm tucked through his as they talked. She smiled to herself. The happiness radiating from the pair was almost visible. 

Lita and Nephrite disappeared to find a good place to watch the stars. Serenity and Endymion, chatting easily, wandered off to explore Serenity's favorite section of the garden. Rei, who still became furious when they were together with no less than three chaperones to keep an eye on them, bristled and stalked after the two. Alarmed, Jadeite followed her, leaving Malachite and Mina alone.

"If you don't mind, General Malachite," Mina began, breaking the awkward silence between them, "I would like to retire for the evening."

He bowed his head. "Very well, Princess. I will escort you inside." It was the least he could do. After all, he'd been bracing himself to spend a few hours out here unable to get away from her, and now he would be free for the rest of the evening.

"I thank you, but it's really not necessary." She smiled brightly at him. "Good night." She vanished into the palace, her bright hair catching the light spilling out of the doorway.

Before heading to the quarters he shared with his fellow Terrans, Malachite spared one glance over his shoulder in the direction Jadeite and the Martian princess had headed. For Endy's sake, he hoped Jadeite would be able to distract her again.

Jadeite hurried after Rei's retreating figure. _She's surprisingly fast, _he thought, not for the first time. He put on a burst of speed and caught up with her, grabbing her arm. "Leave them be, Rei," he advised. "How many times do I have to tell you that Endy won't hurt her?"

She whirled, her silky black hair flying around her, and wrenched her arm free. "Let go of me."

Jadeite refused to let her words or tone bother him and chuckled softly, shaking his head. "You're not secretly in love with Endy, are you? This anger you show isn't actually jealousy, I hope." His voice was light and hid the worry that he felt. The longer he was around her, the more he realized how much he was coming to care for her. Something tightened inside him. Hearing she was in love with someone else would probably kill him.

Rei looked at him as if he'd suddenly sprouted arms out of his head. "Oh, please. Don't insult me."

"Surely you don't think Endy's going to harm your Princess in any way?" When she stood silent and merely glared at him, a look he _felt_ despite the semi-darkness, he whistled. "Why are you so suspicious of men?" He knew, instinctively, that something horrible had happened to her and it made his protective side bristle.

"I'm not entirely sure you can be trusted," she snapped.

"Why?" His voice was low and serious.

Rei didn't answer. Instead, she sat down on one of the numerous benches that were placed throughout the gardens and looked up at the sky. She didn't want to tell him. It was easier to keep the pain locked in her heart where no one could see.

Jadeite sat down next to her, keeping a respectable distance. "I'd really like to know, Princess. What did I do?"

She sighed and shook her head. "You didn't do anything, Jade." She used his nickname without thinking. "I just don't trust men in general. They take advantage of the women who love them." Her voice was sad, tinged with bitterness.

"What makes you say that?" Jadeite was completely serious. He enjoyed teasing her and watching her rise to the occasion; it was a side of himself he didn't let out often. He could sense though, that now was not the time to bait her or be sarcastic.

The Martian princess was silent for a moment or two, warring within herself. Finally, she reached a decision and began to speak in slow, measured tones. "I had a sister who was about eight years older than I was. We were close, despite our age differences. She fell in love with a young man from a high-ranking Martian family and they had a whirlwind courtship. She loved him very much and was able to persuade our parents to allow them to marry quickly."

She stopped for a moment, and the blond General waited patiently for her to continue. He had a sinking feeling he knew where this story was headed. "A few months after the wedding, we discovered her husband had only married her for her title and the power that it gave him. He dropped all pretenses and everyone could see he didn't love her. He made no secret of the fact that he had many mistresses, but my poor sister was blind to it all." Rei raised her head, staring off into the dark flower beds. "My parents were furious, but there was nothing they could do."

Rei pressed a hand to her mouth as she remembered the rest of it. Jadeite sat very still. "When Mother and Father realized how deeply she loved him, they tried to keep all knowledge of his crimes from her. She found out eventually, although she tried to convince herself that he really loved her after all. He was finally killed in a duel with his current mistress's angry husband."

"What happened to her?" he asked quietly.

Rei turned to face him, her face expressionless, save for her eyes. Those violet orbs were burning with intensity. "She died of a broken heart," she said flatly. "And I swore that I would never let a man have that kind of power over me."

Jadeite nodded, everything clicking into place. "I can see why you'd be wary." He focused his blue eyes on her. "But we're not all that way, you know." _I'm not that way._

"Of course." Her tone was noncommittal.

Concern deepened on his face, though he knew she probably couldn't see it. They sat there quietly for a while, and he watched her stare off into space. "Thank you for telling me, Princess," he said eventually.

Rei stiffened for a few seconds, before her shoulders slumped a little. "I don't know why I did," she said bluntly. She bit her lip and then stood. "Time to find out what that prince of yours is up to. And this time, Jade, don't even try to stop me."

With a faint chuckle, he asked her lazily, "Do you realize that's the second time this evening you've used my nickname?"

Rei tilted her head to one side, looking down at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He got to his feet and folded his arms calmly. _I can still distract her. _"Well, for one thing, it means you're comfortable around me."

"What!"

The blond man grinned rakishly at her. "Certainly. You don't feel you have to be formal any more."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "If I hadn't been sitting across from you at dinner," she growled, "I'd have to wonder what you've been drinking."

"Oh, come now, Rei."

"Don't you dare 'oh, come now,' me!" Rei shot back.

Jadeite shook his head. "Rei, we dropped the 'Princess' and 'General' weeks ago, except in public—you know that. You've just never used my nickname before."

Rei hesitated replying for few seconds. He'd said that with a trace of wistfulness in his voice, almost as if— She banished the thought. It was impossible. "Well, if it upsets you so, I won't use it again, Jadeite."

He winced. "I like it when you call me 'Jade'," he protested in a hurt voice.

"You're hopeless," she exclaimed in exasperation. She turned to go, and he chuckled amiably.

"That's what I've been told."

Rei just huffed and swept back to the palace, head held high. The chaperones would have to see to it that Endymion behaved himself. She needed to get away from Jadeite before she spilled any more of her deepest secrets.

* * *

Completely unaware of the drama taking place behind them, Serenity and Endymion wandered through the garden arm in arm, laughing and chatting with an ease that belied the fact they'd only known each other for two months. Their chaperones stayed at a discreet distance, happy to give the pair their privacy as long as the Prince kept a respectable space between them. 

"Are you ever going to tell me why you really came to the Moon?" Serenity asked in a laughing voice, smiling up at him. "You keep evading the question."

Endymion looked down at her and his heart gave a funny flop at the artless warmth in her blue eyes. "As I've said before, it's not exactly a logical explanation, Princess—I'm not even sure I understand it."

She giggled and the sound tinkled across the still air of the garden. "Life doesn't always make sense, Endymion."

"I'm well aware of that." He smirked at her, blue eyes glinting invitingly.

After a few moments, Serenity's grip tightened on his arm. "So are you going to tell me?"

The dark-haired Terran Prince was quiet for the space of a few heartbeats. He'd avoided the question before because he wanted more time to think about how to broach the subject without seeming chauvinistically focused on her beauty instead of her beautiful personality. It seemed however, that the opportune moment had arrived. "Princess," he began in a soft voice, "you visited Earth a few years ago, didn't you?" It wasn't a question.

He had to suppress a smile at her reaction; Serenity was without a doubt the worst liar he'd ever encountered. She almost missed a step, her hand loosening from its comfortable hold on his arm and her face froze in shock. Her blue eyes were wide and startled for a few seconds before they regained their usual glow. He could feel how nervous she was.

"Why do you ask?" Her voice was remarkably steady. Serenity congratulated herself. She didn't know she could act so well.

A smile playing at the corner of his mouth, Endymion told her the tale of the beautiful girl he had seen wandering the Palace garden in the moonlight two years before. Her recognition of that story merely confirmed what he'd known all along. She was the girl.

"You came here because you were curious about me?" she breathed in awed surprise, too amazed to deny anything.

Endymion nodded impatiently, brushing back rogue strands of black hair that persisted in falling haphazardly into his eyes when he didn't want them to. "There was just something about you—an innocent…" he searched for the right words "…sweetness." He swallowed. "You're nothing like the women I've met at home. There's just something about you that I haven't seen in anyone before." Cobalt blue eyes locked on hers. He raised her hand to his lips, his breath warm on her skin. "You're special, Serenity. You're special to me." He placed a gentle kiss on the creamy skin of her knuckles and Serenity felt herself shiver.

"Endymion—"

It struck him then how much he loved hearing her say his name. He loved it. It was like music to his ears, water after spending days in a parched desert, and all the nebulous thoughts and feelings swirling in his mind suddenly coalesced into one powerful realization. "I love you," he said simply. He'd never said those words to anyone before except for his parents on occasion, and they came from a place deep inside him—straight from his heart.

Serenity's blue eyes searched his tanned face as if to validate the confession she'd just heard. She'd never heard those three words spoken with such conviction before…with such quiet firmness and…longing. She had no doubts that he meant every word. A lovely smile suffused her face. "Endy, I'm glad you came. I—" she blushed and then said with crimson cheeks, "I love you as well."

A soft smile curved his lips and he tilted her chin up with long, slender fingers. His entire face was alight and his gaze was tender as he whispered, "I'm so glad" before meeting her in a gentle kiss.

It only lasted a second—they were both aware of the chaperones following along behind them—but it was enough for now. Serenity conquered her blush and tucked her arm through his again and they continued strolling through the garden. Every now and then, in the midst of their quiet conversation, Serenity would lift her blue eyes to meet his and they didn't need words anymore.

* * *

Lita hid a smile as she saw Ami and Zoicite wander off together, happy her shy friend seemed to have found someone who appreciated her. Then she turned to the tall man at her side. 

"The stars are beautiful tonight," Nephrite commented, looking up at the sky.

"I agree." She slipped her arm through his comfortably. "Would you care to see my favorite spot for stargazing, General?"

"I would love to, Princess."

Lita gave him a dazzling smile and they sauntered off through the garden. The night was peaceful and quiet, and the lights from the palace danced on the grass. A warm, gentle breeze blew gently, ruffling their hair.

"I am still amazed the Moon has such things as wind."

"It was designed to be very much like Earth."

"Does Jupiter have wind?" he asked curiously, struck by a thought.

The Jovian princess laughed merrily. "Of course it does. We have the most spectacular storms on occasion, and the wind is nearly always blowing. Whenever I visit my family, I always spend a lot of time outside just enjoying the breeze." She motioned to another path leading off of the one they were on and they took it.

After a few minutes, Lita stopped. "Here it is." Their path had reached a large grassy area, in the middle of which stood a huge tree. It stretched up into the sky, branches full and leafy.

Nephrite stared at it and his brows lifted in amazement. "What is that?"

"It's an oak from Jupiter," she replied proudly. "My family planted it here when the Moon was chosen to head the Silver Alliance. It's the largest tree on the Moon."

"It's the only tree on the Moon is more like it," he muttered good-naturedly.

Lita shot him an amused look. "Actually, the Moon does have trees. Small ones, usually, but trees nonetheless."

Nephrite pretended to be stunned. "And here I thought those little things were bushes!"

She chuckled. "No, no, not bushes. Trees."

"As you please," he replied in a courtly manner. Then he looked around. "Lita, the branches obscure the stars. How do you see anything sitting under this—this lovely gargantuan?"

Lita laughed merrily. "I never said I sat under it, did I?"

His dark blue eyes were speculative as he looked down at her. "Then what, pray tell, do you do?"

"I climb the tree." Her face was the picture of innocence.

Nephrite's mouth dropped open. "Princess, you can't be serious," he began.

"I'm perfectly serious." With that, Lita jumped up and caught hold of a lower tree branch. She used it to swing herself onto another branch and twisted so that she was sitting on it gracefully. She gathered up part of her skirt and moved higher in the tree.

"There's a spot up here where you can sit and see the whole sky." Her voice was faint, coming up from high above the dumbstruck General's head. He couldn't believe that she had actually climbed the tree. And she had done so without inadvertently showing anything more than a glimpse of her long legs. Quite a feat.

"Nephrite? Are you coming?"

The brown-haired man came out of his trance and started up the tree. "Do you climb this often?"

"All the time."

When he reached the top, he found Lita leaning up against the trunk of the tree. He sat down next to her on the wide branch, took a look around, and whistled. The branches seemed to all be out of the way here, leaving them with an unobstructed view of the sky straight ahead and above them. Stars sparkled and twinkled brightly.

"This is amazing," he said softly.

Lita nodded. "This is where I come to get away. I especially love to sit out here at night."

"Aren't you afraid you'll fall?"

"No. Why should I be?"

Nephrite gazed at her thoughtfully. "You know, you're not like most women."

"Don't I know it?" Her voice was light, but her green eyes held a trace of sadness.

He heard the wistfulness behind her words. "I would have thought," he said casually, locking his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky, "that with all of your abilities and charms, you'd have a flock of eager young men asking for your hand."

Lita cracked a wry smile. "I've scared them off," she confessed honestly. "Most of them don't like it that I'm as tall as I am, and they think my...hobbies are completely insane."

"Stargazing and tree climbing?" he hazarded, darting a glance at her.

"Yes." Lita smiled again. "Among other things. Besides, I wouldn't want to have to leave Serenity. It's partly my job to keep her out of mischief."

"Surely young men on Jupiter….?" he began delicately.

She glanced down at her hands, suddenly quite interested in how her fingers entwined. "I haven't been back there long enough to find out, and my parents haven't mentioned anything about an arranged marriage."

"I see." He did see; probably much more than she realized.

Lita was now looking back up at the sky, but Nephrite was unable to follow suit. His eyes were drawn to her. Her courage, loyalty, casual grace, and generous personality combined to make her one of the strongest people he'd ever had the privilege to meet. Some men would no doubt find her imposing, but he only wondered why she hadn't yet come across someone who recognized her for the incredible woman she was.

Not for the first time, Nephrite wondered if he stood a chance. He clasped his hands together and studied her for a moment. "When we arrived on the Moon," he said off-handedly, "the stars told me our lives were going to change forever." He paused. "They were right."

Puzzled, Lita looked over at him. "The stars told you? I know you consider them to be your mentors—"

"They talk to me on occasion. I don't always understand what they say, but…" he shrugged, "Most of the time I can figure it out."

Lita raised her eyebrows. "And they told you that your lives were going to be forever changed?" she asked, amusement lacing the skepticism in her voice.

"More or less."

Lita twisted a little on the branch so she could face him. "What did they mean? You think the Earth will be admitted to the Alliance?"

"Do you?" he countered.

"Yes," she said solidly. Then her emerald eyes flashed. "You didn't answer my question. Is that what they meant?"

A faint smile played around his lips. "I met you, Lita. My life will never be the same."

Lita's green eyes went wide and her heart began to pound erratically. She'd secretly admired and liked the Terran General sitting coolly beside her for weeks and now...now...

Nephrite grabbed her arm, halting her slide off the branch. "Don't fall," he admonished teasingly, but with a serious undertone.

She blushed crimson, and even in the dim light he could see it.

He smiled at her. "You're so pretty when you're turning red."

Lita struggled to compose her flaming face and placed her hands on her hips. "And just what, may I ask, are you saying?" she challenged. She didn't like beating around the bush.

"You know what I'm saying."

"I do?"

"You do."

"And what would that be?"

Nephrite took her hands, knowing this was the right thing to do. "Princess Lita, I've fallen in love with you," he said in a husky voice. "You are without a doubt the most amazing woman I have ever met."

"You love me?" she asked bluntly.

"I love you," he confirmed, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth again.

Lita's face lit up. "I was hoping you felt that way," she said shyly, glancing down at her hands. "Because, you see, I've fallen in love with you too." She looked up and sapphire-blue eyes met soft emerald green ones.

Slowly, they leaned towards each other and met in a gentle kiss. Nephrite thought distractedly he'd never think of trees the same way again.

* * *

As the days wore on, Mina's feeling that her friends and their visitors from Earth were soul mates intensified. She wasn't sure she could explain it, had someone pressed her to do so, but her intuition could not be shaken. There was most certainly something there. 

Out of all of them, Rei was the most amusing—and frustrating—to watch. Things were obviously not going as well between her and Jadeite as they were for everyone else. The blond General's behavior had not changed, but Rei's attitude towards him had taken a 180 degree turn. Mina often caught a wistful look in his blue eyes when he glanced at Rei. It was always gone quickly, but Mina knew he cared.

She wondered what had happened to make things so rocky between them. Rei was capable of so much passion and love, if only she would unlock the door to her heart and let Jadeite in. Mina sighed and then her face took on a determined look. Perhaps she could find a way to subtly move things along.

* * *

Rei was doing her best to avoid Jadeite in the evenings. The twilight and peacefulness of nightfall couldn't induce her to let him get any closer to her if she stayed well away from him. To her mild irritation and reluctance, this plan included leaving Endymion and Serenity alone, since the blond General had figured out her propensity for making sure the Prince was behaving himself. 

She scowled darkly, kicking at a fallen bloom from one of the fireflower bushes lining the garden walkway. Things had been going so well. And then…and then…he had started worming his way into her heart.

"Lovely evening for a stroll, wouldn't you say?" a voice drawled from behind her.

_Can I never escape him?_ Rei stopped short and closed her eyes, counting silently. Then she opened her eyes and turned around with an imperious air. "Good evening, Jadeite."

Jadeite approached her leisurely, a hint of a smile on his face. On his way to the gardens, he had passed Mina, who casually mentioned she had seen Rei heading towards the Martian section of the garden. Elated and filled with determination, he had set off to find the raven-haired princess. "Princess, will you do the honor of walking with me?"

Rei hesitated. As much as her mind was screaming at her to say no and walk away, she had missed the camaraderie she and Jadeite had shared before she made the mistake of telling him things he should have never known. "I suppose."

Jadeite offered her his arm and she took it grudgingly. They walked along the paths through the arrangements of Martian flora in silence, both busy with their own thoughts. Rei belatedly realized that they were completely alone. She had wanted privacy and deliberately left the palace without any chaperones, but the plan seemed to have backfired on her. It wasn't likely Jadeite had brought one with him.

As though a giant chasm was being opened between them, the awkwardness of their situation stretched and lengthened. They stood quite close together, but Rei had never felt so far apart from him.

Apparently, Jadeite was feeling the same way, because he suddenly halted. "This is ridiculous."

Rei was surprised, but she refused to let it show. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." He turned and took her by the shoulders. "We can't keep dancing around each other like this, Rei. It's not doing us any good."

Rei stared at him. "Have you lost your mind?" she demanded. Jadeite's features were dim, but she could see he was looking down at her with a curious expression on his face.

"Most likely." His grip tightened fractionally on her shoulders, his hands warming her skin through the thin material of her dress. "Would you hit me if I were to kiss you right now?"

Rei didn't miss a beat. "Yes."

"Well, it'd be worth it." Before she had time to react, Jadeite swiftly bent and brushed his lips over hers.

Rei was startled, to say the least. Fire seemed to be running through her body at his touch but her mind refused to accept it. She broke away and raised her hand to strike him, violet eyes all but shooting sparks. He stood quite still, looking unapologetic, and did not even bother to brace himself for the blow.

She didn't touch him. Hand still raised, Rei asked petulantly, "Why did you do that? Do you _want_ me to have to hurt you? Do you want the guards to lock you up for assaulting royalty?"

Jadeite took her free hand and raised it to his lips. His eyes were molten pools of blue, staring at her through the unruly locks of blond hair falling into them. "Like I said before, it'd be worth it. And it was." His voice was low and husky.

"Why?" she demanded angrily, trying to ignore the way her heart began to pound. No one had ever looked at her like _that_ before.

He sighed, but kept his eyes firmly fastened on her face. "Because over the past few months, I've fallen in love with you."

Her hand cracked against his left cheek. "This is not a joking matter," she warned him, eyes still blazing. She could feel panic rising in her chest. This was not the road she wanted to take—she would not let someone treat her the way her sister had been treated.

"I'm not joking. I really do love you, Rei."

"You can't."

Jadeite raised an eyebrow and surveyed her with interest. "Why not?"

"Because you can't," she repeated. Her mind echoed his words. _This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous._

"That's not much of an excuse, Princess. Hearts don't understand things like that." He swallowed, looking for the right words, and a hint of a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You are without a doubt the most infuriating woman I've ever met. You're snappy, bossy, opinionated, passionate…and I love the way your eyes blaze when you're angry. You're unique, Rei," he finished gently, "A one-of-a kind treasure. And I love you."

They looked at each other for a long moment and something in Rei's eyes and silence gave him her answer. Jadeite's eyes grew shuttered and he stepped away from her. "I appreciate you trusting me. Rest assured I will never betray that trust."

Something hitched painfully inside Rei. _He's saying goodbye,_ a tiny voice whispered inside her mind.

He paused. "Please… please believe me when I say I love you. I—I understand if you don't feel the same way. After all," he laughed, a trace of bitterness in his voice as he dredged up her earlier words, "Men can't be trusted. You've made your wishes abundantly clear. I'll leave you alone, Princess. Good night."

Jadeite bowed and turned away to walk back to the palace. The ache in his heart throbbed painfully, pushing the pain of his smarting cheek to the back of his mind, and he berated himself for saying anything at all. He'd thought—he'd thought she was beginning to care, beginning to trust him, but was simply having trouble letting her shields down. Obviously, he was wrong.

Rei stood there, staring after Jadeite. His kiss still burned on her lips and her knees were wobbly. What _did _she feel for him anyway? She'd told him her deepest secret (besides the fact that she was the Senshi of Mars) and he had understood, and even promised to keep the secret for her. What other man would she have ever trusted like that?

A wave of clarity swept over her. She'd never taken the time to think about it until now—had never wanted to think about it before now—but there was a look in his eyes and a smile on his face that he never gave to anyone else. When she spoke, his attention was firmly fixed on her, and she was well aware that his blue eyes followed her around. It had irritated her at first, but she had grown comfortable around him and began to find his attention flattering, though she still stayed aloof.

Rei took a long hard look at herself. She'd kept a prickly hedge around her heart for so long it was hard to open up and let someone in. She had never allowed herself to truly care for a man before; she had always broken off all communication when she felt herself begin to slip down that treacherous path. It had been easier than risking being hurt.

She watched Jadeite's trim figure dwindle in the distance. Though she often pretended otherwise, she enjoyed their lively banter. She enjoyed being around _him._ He made her happy. She'd woken up with a smile on her face every morning for the past few weeks because she knew he would be there. _I can't let him walk away._ The past few days of avoidance had been horrible enough.

"Jade!" she called out impulsively, taking a few steps forward. "Wait!"

The blond man stopped in his tracks. Very slowly, he turned to face her. "Yes, Princess?" His eyes, his voice, his whole manner was guardedly hopeful. _Has she changed her mind?_

Time froze around Rei. Her eyes met his and she saw the humble adoration there, the love. This was a man who would never leave her. She launched herself into his arms, suddenly joyful that there were no prying eyes to see. "I love you too," she whispered into his ear.

Jadeite's mouth fell open in astonishment even as his arms automatically enfolded her. "What did you say?" he choked out, hardly daring to believe his ears.

She kissed his cheek. "I said I love you, Jade."

His arms tightened around her. "Truly?" Hope was burgeoning inside him, filling him with a happiness he could never remember feeling before.

"Yes." Her violet eyes were contrite. "I'm sorry."

Jadeite cupped one side of her face with a hand, brushing some of her black hair out of the way. "I know." He bent his head and brushed his lips over hers.

When they broke apart, Jadeite took a deep, steadying breath and held her gaze. "I love you so much." He felt like he could fly—he could do anything if Rei loved him.

Rei's violet eyes were soft. She didn't need to answer; she merely rested her head on his shoulder and allowed him to hold her close. _I can trust him. He really loves me. _The thought was balm on her aching heart.

* * *

That night, Mina discreetly kept an eye out for Rei's return. She hoped everything had been straightened out, and her hopes were confirmed when the Martian princess finally made an appearance. Rei wore a dreamy smile and seemed to be at peace—something that had eluded her for a long time. 

Malachite who was reading in the common room he shared with his friends, noticed immediately that something about Jadeite was different. He held back a sigh and shook his head in exasperation. He had resigned himself to the fact that Zoicite, Nephrite, and Endymion were all obviously infatuated, but it had seemed lately that a romance between his younger friend and Princess Rei was not to be. Clearly that had changed.

_They're so far gone now there is no chance of return._

* * *

Well, things are moving along. In case any of you were wondering, the split in the Rei/Jade scene is new, and the Endy/Serenity scene is new to the revised version of this story. 

Let me know what you thought. Cheers!


	5. Part 4: Farewells and Surprises

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_An:_ Sorry for the long delay, everybody. I was busy and then my beta-reader was swamped with work for two months. That said, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter--it's one of my favorites. With the revisions and additions, it's also the longest chapter to date, coming in at a whopping 30 pages.

Thank you so much for continuing to read and review--y'all really make my day!

Special thanks also go to Dejana for being such an amazing beta reader, as always. (Any and all errors are, of course, mine.)

Enjoy!

_"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." Proverbs 15:13 _

* * *

**For Love or Duty**

**Part 4:**

**Farewells and Surprises**

The Moon Palace was uncharacteristically quiet the morning the Terrans were to leave. Most of the inhabitants had come to like the Terran Prince and his Generals and the overall levity their visit had brought. The members of the Palace staff, aware of the mutual affection growing between Endymion, his Generals, and their beloved Princesses, were careful to keep from intruding on the various leave-takings going on before breakfast.

By this time, Zoicite was familiar with Ami's penchant for visiting the library in the early hours of the morning to catch up on her reading. He had no doubts he would find her there yet again. He wound his way through the towering shelves of books until he came to the window seat she often frequented. A small smile curved his lips and he stopped to take in every detail of the graceful figure before him.

Ami was staring out the window, an open book lying forgotten on her lap. The light fell on her face and illuminated the rich blue tint of her hair. He couldn't help but admire the way the strands curled around to frame the creamy skin of her face.

Finally becoming aware of his scrutiny, she turned her head to face him and it was then that Zoicite realized her dark blue eyes were swimming with tears. He stepped forward and gathered her into a crushing hug, feeling her wrap her arms around him tightly. Unheeded, the book fell to the marble floor.

He closed his eyes and held her for the last time. "I'll miss you so much," he said in a choked voice.

Her shoulders shook with a sob and she pulled back to look up at him with teary eyes. "I'll miss you too, Zoi." Ami knew, instinctively, she would never meet another man like the one who stood before her now.

Zoicite brushed a few strands of her dark blue hair out of her face, tucking them reverently behind her ear. "Ami, I want you to know that I love you. I'll always love you."

Ami smiled through her tears and slipped her arms around his neck, anchoring her fingers in his red-gold hair. "I love you too."

"Let's hope that the High Council makes the right decision and admits us to the Alliance," he said with a soft smile, feeling a curious band tighten around his heart. _I don't want to leave you._

Ami's smile disappeared and the crystal tears in her eyes began to trickle down her cheeks. She knew Selenity wasn't completely convinced Earth had no ulterior motives. "I know," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "Logistically speaking, however, the odds--" She bit her lip and glanced away, trying to regain control of her emotions.

Zoicite gripped her shoulders and forced her to look up at him once more. His leaf green eyes were intense and bright. "Don't say that. For once, Ami, forget about the odds. Forget about the mathematical probabilities. Love is more than those." His face softened as he added, "You taught me that. Never give up. We _will_ meet again."

She nodded mutely before burying her face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of soap and sandalwood. "Zoi, if—if things don't work out, please—please don't forget me."

Zoicite tilted her chin up and smiled tenderly. "I swear on my honor, Princess, I will never forget you." His lips met hers in a gentle kiss. "Earth will join the Alliance and I will find a way back to you."

They stood together for a few moments, reluctant to break apart and go their separate ways. It was a moment they both knew they would treasure; one that would live on in their memories forever. Whatever fate had in store for them, they had at least found each other.

Ami was the first to step away.

Before she could speak, Zoicite said softly, "I'll write you, Ami. There must be a way to do it. We can keep each other informed on how things are progressing."

The blue-haired princess nodded and gave him a small smile. "I'd like that."

—- ——- ——- —

Nephrite was beginning to wonder if he'd done something to offend the palace staff.

He'd been discreetly nosing around for some time now, trying to locate the kitchens (and Lita, by extension) and none of the servants he'd passed so far would tell him where it was. They wouldn't even hazard a guess, choosing instead to make an excuse of some sort and scuttle away. It made him suspect Lita had deliberately told them to keep him in the dark.

He huffed. It was their last day. Why would she want him to leave her alone? And why was it so blasted hard to find the _kitchens_? They had to be here somewhere.

He rounded the corner and sniffed appreciatively as a rather delectable smell drifted through the corridor. Flicking his wavy brown hair back over his shoulder, Nephrite moved swiftly down the hall, following the scent of baking bread and…cookies.

In no time at all, he found himself standing before a side door he was quite sure led into the Royal Kitchens. Cautiously, he pushed it open and poked his head inside. Sure enough, amidst a group of chattering Lunarian servants, the tall Princess of Jupiter was standing at a counter, violently slicing and dicing a bunch of poor, innocent, defenseless vegetables. He gave a relieved sigh. "Princess Lita?"

She didn't turn or respond, though everyone else in the room stopped what they were doing to watch.

He slipped through the door and crossed to where she stood. This wasn't the best place to say goodbye. He stood by her elbow, a respectable distance between them. "Princess, may I speak with you for a moment?"

The knife in her hands stilled. Lita had known she'd have to face him sooner or later, and she decided she'd much rather do it without an audience. She laid the knife on the counter and removed her apron. "You may."

She allowed Nephrite to shepherd her out of the kitchen and down a few corridors until he was reasonably sure they'd left all curious eyes behind. He clasped her hands in his. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked gently.

"No."

"Then wha--?"

"You're leaving," she cut him off bluntly. Her voice was choked with emotion, but she bravely met his eyes.

"Yes." He waited, sure there was more.

Lita sniffed and blinked back tears. "I'll miss you, Neph."

One of the things Nephrite loved about her was her honesty. She could never hide what she was feeling and he had noticed she didn't often try. He pulled her into a hug and she buried her face in his chest. "I'm going to miss you too." He tilted her head up and kissed away her tears before gently claiming her lips. "I have a feeling we'll see each other again," he murmured after a moment.

"You do?" Lita's green eyes went wide and she gave him a hopeful look.

He stroked her hair comfortingly. "Yes. We'll meet again." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Just promise me one thing, love. I'm sure dashing young gentlemen are going to pop out of the woodwork now. Don't go running off with one just because he reminds you of me."

Lita's mouth fell open in shock and she stared at him with a vaguely horrified expression on her face. "I would never do such a thing!" she exclaimed in shock. "Neph, how could you even think that of me?"

"I'm sorry. It was a poor attempt at humor." His dark blue eyes were apologetic.

She tilted her head to one side and regarded him for a moment. "You're forgiven." She ran a hand through his hair nonchalantly before settling it on his neck. "Besides, you're the one to worry about anyway."

Nephrite chuckled. "I love you, Lita."

"And I love you." She laughed. "My heart is yours, never fear."

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. "Be sure of this: we will meet again."

"I believe you." Lita smiled at him impishly before pulling him into one last slow, sweet kiss. After a moment, she murmured against his lips, "Don't go anywhere. I have something for you."

—- ——- ——- —

Somehow, Endymion knew he would find Selenity in the garden. It was her favorite place to get away and relax and it afforded a small amount of privacy. The beautiful Moon Princess had disappeared that morning amidst all of the hustle and bustle to prepare the Terran visitors for their return to Earth before he could speak to her. It was fortunate he knew her well; time was slipping away from them.

Endymion scanned the garden area, his stormy blue eyes concerned. He could sense when the woman he loved was upset, and Serenity was most definitely upset. Finally, as he rounded a hedge row, he spotted her sitting on the edge of a marble fountain.

She was idly trailing a red rose, one of the many he'd given her, through the crystal clear water while droplets fell to make ever widening ripples on the surface. Endymion frowned. It wasn't raining. His expression softened as he realized she was crying silently. Tears slipped down her cheeks to plop into the water below.

Serenity jumped in surprise as a warm pair of arms encircled her. As soon as she realized who was holding her, she turned around and buried her face in his chest. "Don't cry, Serenity," Endymion soothed. He stroked her hair gently. "It's not the end of the world."

Serenity mumbled something, but he couldn't make out what she said.

"What did you say?" he prodded gently.

She lifted a tear-stained face to him. "I said it might as well be. It doesn't look like Earth is going to be admitted any time soon. I may never see you again." Her blue eyes were filled with anguish.

Endymion pulled her closer. "Oh, Serenity, we'll find a way. If your Alliance won't accept Earth, we'll just have to find a way around them. Slip away to meet each other or something." He rested his chin on the top of her head and ran a hand through one of her long golden ponytails. "I'll find a way back to you—I don't think I could live without a certain Meatball Head in my life."

Serenity's head shot up. "What did you call me!" she demanded, tears forgotten.

He gave her an innocent look. "Meatball Head. I've decided your hair looks like this dish we have on Earth. You'd love it. Perfect nickname, don't you think?"

"No! I very much prefer 'sweetheart' or 'darling' or something like that." Serenity pulled away, put her hands on her hips, and glared up at the handsome man before her.

Endymion laughed. "I didn't think you'd take it so seriously, Mea—sweetheart," he amended hastily, seeing the I'm-going-to-kill-you look his Princess was shooting him. "Knowing how you are about food, I thought you'd like it." He took one of her small hands in both of his and was suddenly serious again. "I love you, Princess." Ocean blue met silver blue as he gazed intently into her eyes.

"I love you too, Endy," she replied softly, as she gently brushed some of his black bangs out of his eyes with her free hand.

"Promise me something, Serenity."

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll wait for me."

"I will." Serenity smiled at him lovingly and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'll wait until the end of time if I have to, Endy."

Endymion grinned. "Hopefully, it won't be that long." He slid his arms around her waist and rested his forehead on hers. "I'll be back for you, love."

"I know you will," she murmured, closing her eyes as he kissed her.

—- ——- ——- —

Rei had been prowling around the palace since dawn, trying to come to terms with the emotions battling inside her. All she had accomplished so far was to work herself into a tizzy. As she stalked through the deserted corridors leading to the ball room, her black hair whipped around her figure, practically crackling with anger. She was fuming to herself about men and their complete and utter proclivity for turning women's lives upside down.

How could Jade leave when she was just starting to get used to him? How could he leave after she had admitted to both of them that she loved him? How could he vanish from her life when she had just realized he was the piece she'd been missing?

Deep down, she knew it wasn't his fault. He didn't want to leave her, but he was sworn to defend and serve Endymion the same way she was sworn to serve Serenity. Rei fought to tamp the anger down. It was just so much easier to blame him for everything instead of looking at the larger picture of events conspiring against them.

She passed a corridor with windows overlooking part of the garden and stopped dead in her tracks. Through a line of trees serving as a divider, she caught a glimpse of Endymion and Serenity sitting together beside a fountain, with nary a chaperone in sight. Something boiled upside her. _How dare he?_ Eyes flashing purple, she marched off to give the Terran prince a piece of her overloaded mind.

Again.

As Rei passed through the wide doors leading to the garden, a hand reached out and grabbed her arm, deftly hauling her around to press her back against the cool surface of the outside palace wall. Angry words formed on her lips but they died away when she realized who her attacker was.

Jadeite, his golden hair as tousled as ever, placed a finger to her lips. "It's me, sweetheart." He stood before her, looking down, noting that the pain and anger she was radiating were almost tangible.

"Jade! What are you doing?" she demanded in a biting voice. "Serenity is in the gardens with no chaperone."

He'd suspected as much. The gardens seemed to be a favorite haunt for the Moon Princess and Endymion had disappeared a little while before to look for her. He eyed Rei cautiously. She had been acting peculiar the past few days and it didn't take a genius to realize it had something to do with their impending departure. With a depth of perception he hadn't been aware he possessed, Jadeite had known Rei would eventually go looking for her princess. He had been waiting for her here for some time now.

His blue eyes were serious as he focused on her face. "I wanted to say goodbye properly, Rei."

The anger churning inside her abruptly flickered out and died away. Rei's breath caught in her chest and her face scrunched up slightly. Tears burned at her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. "Ah, yes, goodbye," she murmured, looking away. She didn't want to see farewell in his eyes.

The blond General took her by the shoulders. "Rei, look at me. Look at me," he commanded softly, when she continued to stare at a bush with vibrant orange blooms as if it held all the answers in the universe. His heart began to plummet. _Doesn't she care?_

Rei's heart and mind battled for a moment before she finally turned back to him, revealing the tears swimming in her violet eyes. "Leave me alone." She struggled to break his grip but he continued to hold her fast.

"Rei—"

"Leave me alone!" Her voice rose and he winced.

"Rei, please—" Jadeite's eyes searched her face, trying to find a way to break through the wall she was putting up between them. He couldn't leave without saying goodbye; he couldn't leave her angry about something he couldn't even control.

"LET ME—!" She broke off as Jadeite's mouth descended on hers, silencing her with a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, trying to show her just how much he cared. Rei stilled in his arms before returning the kiss and he knew he'd won.

He released her gently and reached out to brush away a tear with the pad of his thumb. "Please don't make this harder than it already is."

The quiet desperation in his voice was her undoing. Something inside Rei simply gave way and she sagged against the wall, tears falling in earnest. "I don't want you to go, Jade. Can't you—can't you see that?"

Jadeite pulled her to him, knowing exactly how she was feeling. "I love you, Rei," he said into her hair. "I love you so much, but I haven't got a choice. Duty calls." He ran his fingers through her long black hair. "I promise, this isn't the end."

Rei closed her eyes and tried to burn his voice and the feel of him holding her tightly into her memory. Her tears gradually subsided, and when she could speak in a normal voice, she said quietly, "Jade, you'd better find a way back, because I'll hold it against you forever if you don't."

He looked down at her with a crooked grin, relieved she was beginning to sound more like herself. "Don't worry, Princess. You won't get rid of me that easily."

Rei smiled, and it didn't matter to Jadeite in the least that her eyes were rather puffy and her nose was red. "As though I want to."

Jadeite laughed and bent to kiss her.

—- ——- ——- —

The day the Terrans were to leave the Moon hadn't come quickly enough for Mina, though she knew her friends were understandably devastated by the separation looming over their heads. No agreement had yet been reached as far as Earth's inclusion in the Silver Alliance and the idea of never seeing Endymion or his Generals again was quite troubling to them.

She allowed a smile to slip across her face, thinking about the couples. She was convinced Lita and Nephrite were as perfectly suited to each other as Serenity and Endymion appeared to be. She knew Zoicite was a fortunate man to have won the Princess of Mercury's shy heart, but she thought Jadeite would be the luckiest man of all if he could get through the rest of his life without Rei frying him.

Mina was happy for her friends. _I'm glad they've found someone, even if they come from a different world. It's sad that if the Alliance doesn't let Earth join they'll probably never meet again. But then, 'tis better to have loved and won than to have never loved at all._ As usual, her quote was off.

She stood with Queen Serenity and the others in the courtyard of the palace. All goodbyes between the couples—except for Mina and Malachite, of course—had been said in private, for propriety's sake, but the girls were tearing up anyway. Mina, the Queen, and Luna were the only ones of the royal Lunarian group with dry eyes.

Now the four couples were obliged to observe protocol, even though their hearts were screaming for them to hold on and never let go. But their eyes...their eyes said everything that their hearts were feeling. Mina had to work not to let herself become emotionally involved…especially when she saw the bag of cookies dangling from Nephrite's belt.

Malachite forced himself to walk over to Mina. He took her hand and gave it a perfunctory kiss, barely brushing her knuckles. "Meeting you was an…interesting experience, Princess." She had spent less and less time in his company towards the end of their stay, though she had been as annoyingly cheerful and bubbly as ever. He hadn't particularly minded, but he did wonder, in the back of his mind, what prompted the change.

"I'm sorry you have to go," she said brightly, a gentle breeze sending the golden strands of her hair floating around about her like tendrils.

He gave her a shrewd look, knowing full well she didn't mean a word of it. "So am I," he said with a perfectly straight face.

Mina laughed and winked mischievously. "Of course you are." Her smile faded as she glanced past him at Endymion and the other Generals. "Good luck with the lovebirds," she said in an undertone. "Their brains are going to be disconnected for a while, I think." Her eyes met his, an unusual seriousness in her expression. "You'll be busy." She knew exactly what kind of shape they were going to be in for a few weeks; her Senshi would be in the same boat.

Malachite stared at her for a few seconds before inclining his head in a grave nod. Her words resonated within him, confirming the nagging suspicion he had formed over the past few months as his friends' attachments deepened.

Mina abruptly broke eye contact and her buoyant mood returned. "Goodbye, General," she said cheerfully, her gaze traveling to where the other princesses were gathered. With one last smile and a swish of silken skirts, she was gone.

Malachite stepped into place behind Endymion and waited for the Queen to teleport him. It occurred to him suddenly that he had yet to see the Sailor Senshi. A glance around confirmed they were not present and he suppressed a frown. Despite the fact that he and the others had not seen much of the short-skirted warriors during their sojourn, he had rather expected them to make an appearance at their departure.

At the last instant, just as the pink haze began to envelope them, his eyes found the princesses and he watched Mina slip a comforting arm around Serenity's tense shoulders, her previous cheerfulness gone. Then the haze deepened and the marble courtyard vanished from beneath their feet.

A few seconds later, Malachite was breathing the familiar tangy air of Earth's capital city, Terra. They were home.

—- ——- ——- —

Three months after their return from the Moon Kingdom, Malachite reached the point where he was ready to take drastic action against his prince and fellow Guardians. _Mina was right. They're acting like lovesick idiots_, he thought sourly. Clearly his friends had taken leave of what little of their senses they still retained.

Once safely back on Earth, he had shoved all thoughts of Mina's bright smile and the enigmatic Sailor Venus out of his mind—or at least he had made the attempt. It hadn't worked quite as well as he would have hoped, but that was beside the point. He was convinced he was perfectly fine; ready to plunge back into the daily routine and leave thoughts of their time on the Moon as far behind him as could possibly be managed.

His friends, on the other hand, were in love. They couldn't move on and their time outside of duties was filled with unusual activities. Endymion moped around moodily, lost in thought, either staring at the Moon or idly twirling a red rose in his fingers. Zoicite played endless games of chess against himself, but frequently wound up simply staring at the pieces with a dreamy look on his face. Nephrite sat up late at night gazing at the stars, as if pleading with them to tell him about Lita. As far as Malachite was concerned, however, Jadeite was the worst. He walked around the palace muttering under his breath, as if he was holding an imaginary argument with Rei. People were beginning to wonder if the trip to the Moon had made him lose his mind. Malachite thought it had. _They've all lost their minds._

King Edward and his wife were at a loss as to what to do. Negotiations with the Silver Alliance were not going quite as well as had been hoped. The King remained unwilling to confess the real reason behind Earth's sudden desire to join and Malachite knew the High Council must suspect something. Endymion was committed to helping matters along, but outside of his duties, he was lost in a perpetual daydream about the Moon Princess and his parents could not find a way to shake him out of it.

Malachite had never seen the Prince so infatuated before and he found it mildly alarming. The way things were going, it was likely Endymion would never see the beautiful Lunarian again and he wondered how long it would take his Prince to recover should that prove to be the case.

Thinking of Princess Serenity made Malachite think of Princess Mina and brought back the puzzling feelings he had managed to tamp down. _It's probably a very good thing I'll never see her again_, he mused late one night, sitting in his study staring out the window at the sliver of crescent moon visible in the onyx sky. _I'd never get a moment's peace with her around all the time._

By this time, he had decided it was pointless to continue wondering about whether or not Earth was going to join the Silver Alliance because he was likely to be old and grey before it ever happened. Therefore, it was equally pointless to entertain thoughts about a princess who undoubtedly had far too many suitors to remember a man who had not been swayed by her beauty and bubbly personality.

Several more weeks passed by in routine normalness before Malachite's world was shaken to its foundation.

—- ——- ——- —

The summons came just after the midday meal.

A rather anxious page approached Malachite, bowed deeply, and informed him that the King and Queen requested his presence in the throne room as soon as possible.

Wondering what could have happened to bring about such an unusual meeting, Malachite sent the page off with a list of instructions for the captain of that day's watch. He made his way to the throne room accordingly and strode past the soldiers standing guard at the entrance, their backs ramrod straight. Nephrite approached from the other end of the hall and they nodded briefly to each other, but kept their focus on the occupants of the room beyond as they passed through the large doors, which immediately closed behind them.

The King and Queen were both seated in their thrones, while Endymion stood before them on the dais. Jadeite and Zoicite were already kneeling at the bottom step and the King's advisors were arranged in a loose semicircle around them, muttering to each other.

Endymion's face was calm, but there was a sparkle in his eyes and an intensity about him that hadn't been there of late. Malachite's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. _I wonder,_ he thought. He bowed to the King and Queen and knelt beside Zoicite.

"I have welcome news," King Edward began in a deep voice. "We've just received word from Queen Selenity that the High Council has reached a decision. Earth is being admitted to the Silver Alliance and the restrictions they had considered imposing on us are being dismissed."

A fresh wave of muttering broke out among the advisors. The King gestured for silence. "We broached the subject of strengthening our alliance by a marriage between Prince Endymion and the Moon Queen's daughter, Princess Serenity. Queen Selenity was at first reluctant to agree, but she came around and decided it was in the Alliance's best interests."

_Ah._ Malachite was not surprised in the least. That would certainly account for Endymion's suddenly buoyant spirits.

The King's next words echoed in the hall, impacting his listeners with the force of a charging cavalcade. "To cement Earth's position further, Selenity informed me that the High Council had added an additional clause to the marriage contract."

Malachite glanced up at Endymion, and found himself looking directly into Endymion's eyes. Obviously the Prince already knew what the King was about to say. He glanced away. Whatever else the King had to say, it could have nothing to do with him.

Edward motioned to the kneeling Generals. "You four are to be wed to the four, ah—" he consulted the roll of parchment in his hand. "—'Inner' Princesses. Mina of Venus, Ami of Mercury, Lita of Jupiter, and Rei of Mars. They will be coming to live here on Earth along with Princess Serenity."

If Malachite had not already been kneeling, he would have collapsed. Stunned, he looked up at the King, lavender eyes wide and filled with shock. The rational part of his mind realized this was a good thing—peculiar of course, but beneficial to Earth's position. The rest of him, however, was imagining a life with a woman who would not, could not keep quiet for five seconds straight. The thought made him shudder. "May I enquire as to when the weddings will be held?" he asked in a voice he barely recognized as his own.

"As soon as we can arrange it," the Queen replied, in satisfied tones. She was happy her son was finally going to wed; heaven only knew she'd been trying to settle him down for several years now with no success. From the happiness her son radiated, she knew he was deeply in love and Serenity did sound like a wonderful girl. All tales of the Moon Princess were kind—Endymion could have done far worse.

The Queen eyed her son's four Guardians speculatively. All four looked absolutely flabbergasted, thought the shock was quickly giving way to delight. All except Malachite. She was sure, just for a second, she had seen abject horror on his face. She frowned. Perhaps it was merely the surprise. His face was schooled almost immediately into his usual calm expression, but the Queen wondered what he was thinking. Malachite was dedicated to his Prince and his duties, but surely even he must grow lonely sometimes, especially after that unfortunate affair a few years back. From everything she had heard about the planetary princesses through Endymion, Princess Mina was a lovely girl. Perhaps she would be just the person to brighten Malachite's dreary life and give him reason to smile once in a while.

—- ——- ——- —

Had Malachite been in any frame of mind to appreciate it, he might have been slightly mollified by the fact that a similar scene was taking place in the Moon Palace far above Earth.

Serenity and her court were standing in Queen Selenity's office, watching the Queen as she affixed her signature to several important-looking papers Luna handed her at regular intervals. After a moment, she laid her pen down and looked up at the five princesses, her gaze sweeping over each in turn. "As I am sure you will be delighted to hear," she said slowly, one corner of her mouth twitching. "The High Council has agreed to allow Earth entry into the Alliance." She paused, waiting for the impending explosion.

Serenity let out a joyful, tinkling laugh and clapped her hands together. "Really? Oh, Mother, this is wondrous news!" Her cheeks flushed pink and her blue eyes lit up with happiness.

Queen Selenity and Luna exchanged glances. "There is more," the Queen said calmly.

Mina's gaze sharpened. She could think of only one other thing that might cause Selenity to call them all before her.

The Queen deliberately held her daughter's gaze. "King Edward has requested your hand in marriage on behalf of his son, Endymion."

If possible, Serenity's eyes grew even larger. "He has?" she said weakly, apparently too amazed to say anything else. When her mother nodded, Serenity took a deep breath and suddenly swirled around giddily. She grabbed hold of Ami's hands and twirled her around.

"I have accepted the proposal on your behalf."

"Thank you, Mother!"

Mina let a smug smile flit across her face. She had most definitely been expecting something like this. Everything was falling into place nicely. Serenity's marriage to Endymion would open the door for his Generals to court Ami, Rei, and Lita.

Queen Selenity smiled half-heartedly. "I am glad you find this news so joyful." She paused. "You do realize, however, that if you wed Endymion, you must leave the Moon?"

Serenity stopped short and her expression became grave as she considered the implications of marrying into the Terran Royal Family. She reached across the desk and took her mother's hands. "I'll miss the Moon, Mother," she said earnestly, "and I'll miss you and the girls," she motioned to the other princesses, "but I love Endy and I would go anywhere in this universe to be with him. Besides," she added, her excited returning full force. "I've always wanted to visit Earth." _Legally,_ she thought guiltily.

The Queen smiled tightly. "Oh, you won't miss the girls. That is the other part of the marriage contract. They're going with you."

Ami gasped and Rei's head tilted imperceptibly as she stared at Selenity. Lita's eyebrows rose, and Mina's breath caught in her throat. This…was…not so expected.

"You four are to be wedded to Endymion's Generals. We insisted on it." Selenity smiled. "You'll have the perfect excuse to live on Earth and fulfill your duties as Serenity's guardians."

Mina couldn't help her gasp of horror. _Me? Married to Malachite?_ The room swayed and she fell to the floor in a dead faint for the first time in her life.

When she awoke, Rei was kneeling over her, a concerned look on her face. "Are you all right, Mina?" Her violet eyes probed Mina's face.

"I'm fine." Mina managed a weak smile. "I was just surprised, that's all. I thought I heard Queen Selenity say we would be marrying the Generals."

"We are."

"Oy." Mina fainted again, her head falling back to hit the marble floor before Rei could prevent it. Her friends looked on in complete shock. Mina had never fainted before, much less twice in the space of a few minutes.

Queen Selenity and Luna exchanged glances, while Serenity waved her arms frantically. "What's wrong with her? Somebody do something!"

Ami tried to soothe the blonde. "She's just a little surprised. Mina will be fine—you know she will be." She was unable to hide to worry lurking in her eyes as she darted a glance at Mina's still figure. Fainting was not the reaction she would have expected, even if she and Malachite had not got on as famously as the rest of them.

"I think she simply needs time to adjust to the idea," Luna said quietly. She called two attendants and they carried the unconscious Princess of Venus to her chambers.

—- ——- ——- —

Consciousness returned slowly to Mina. When she finally opened her eyes, she was confused for a few seconds, before awareness flooded back to her. _Oh, please no._

She was lying on the bed in her room; obviously she had been out long enough that they had moved her. _I can't believe this,_ she thought numbly. _Why do I have to marry Malachite? He hates me._ Feeling tears well up in her eyes, she rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, but a loud grumble from her stomach reminded her that it must now be well past lunchtime. With a sigh, Mina slid off the bed and ran a brush through her tangled golden locks, staring unseeing at her somber mirror image.

Then she drifted through the palace to the dining hall. A servant held the door for her and as she stepped into the room, four excited faces turned to greet her.

"Mina!" Serenity exclaimed, turning her attention from her plate long enough to hug Mina. "Are you all right?" She giggled. "I know how you feel; the news was a shock for me too, but isn't it wonderful?"

"Oh, yes," Mina replied in a strange voice, halfway between a laugh and a sob. "Wonderful." She sat down and began to eat, noting that the others were too busy talking, laughing, and planning to have done much more than pick at their food. Except for Serenity of course.

Mina pasted a smile on her face and joined in the joyous chatter as best she could. They didn't know how fortunate they were. Each of the men they were to wed all but worshipped the ground they walked upon. She knew people had been marrying for reasons other than love since Time began, but she had always hoped and dreamed to find a man who loved her for herself.

She tried to laugh merrily, but she couldn't quite ignore the lump in her throat, matching the ache in her heart. She had always hoped to marry for love, always dreamed of it. And now, she, the Senshi of Love, would have to do her duty and obey the Queen, leaving her dreams of love to crumble behind her.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina had hoped that it would take months to work out all the salient details of the weddings, but everything was proceeding unusually smoothly. It had already been determined that the ceremonies would be held on Earth in two months. The princesses began to plan in earnest, packing all the things they would need or could not live without, since transporting goods afterwards would be nigh impossible until a transporter was built on Earth.

She was always laughing and chattering excitedly, but when she was alone, it was all she could do to hold back tears. It was too soon. Much too soon. She didn't have time to think of a viable escape plan.

The wheels of time rolled inexorably onward, the days slipping away far too quickly than she would have preferred. Mina dreaded each new day, knowing it was bringing her closer to the moment she would lose whatever hopes and dreams she still cherished. _It's too much to hope he'll come to love me,_ she thought miserably. This thought accosted her more than once, piercing her happy façade. Her usual optimism was missing in action. _He doesn't like me and I don't like him!_ Looks weren't everything. The man had a personality as warm as a glacier on Pluto.

Serenity, Lita, and even the usually observant Ami were too wrapped up in preparations to see through the Venusian Princess's phony disguise. While Rei sometimes wondered if Mina was really as happy as she seemed to be, given the tension between her and Malachite during the Terran's visit to Earth, she could never catch Mina in one of her more somber moods and had to let it go.

—- ——- ——- —

Three weeks before they were to depart for Earth, Mina, Lita, Rei, and Ami stood before the entrance to the Queen's chambers, glancing at each other in mild confusion. They had been called from their last minute packing and were awaiting the Queen.

"What's going on?" Lita mouthed to Mina.

The blonde shrugged. She had no more idea what it was about than any of them. A small part of her hoped Malachite had backed out and a satisfied feeling swept over her. If that was the case, she would be able to assure the Queen she was not brokenhearted in the least.

A moment later, the door opened and Luna appeared. "Her Majesty will see you now," she said in her gentle voice.

"Thank you, Luna," Mina replied with a smile. She knew better than to attempt to pump the Mauan for information and led the way into the Queen's office.

The four princesses dropped curtseys. "You wanted to see us, Queen Selenity?" Mina murmured after a slight pause. Being the leader of the Senshi often meant she was the unofficial spokesperson for the group.

"I did." Queen Selenity's voice was tense and her beautiful face was worn and tired. "As you are well aware, we will be leaving for Earth in a fortnight. I have a delicate matter to discuss with you now, one concerning your roles as Sailor Senshi," she paused, "…and the Generals you are marrying."

Lita's face lit up and her green eyes sparkled. "Your Majesty, do you mean we'll be able to tell our husbands who we are?"

The Moon Queen almost smiled. Lita's delight at the prospect was written all over her face. She was so honest—she didn't believe in hiding things. Selenity's eyes saddened as she said gently, "No, Lita, I am afraid that won't be the case. The Council has decided that the four of you should keep your identities as the Sailor Senshi secret. You are to tell no one—not even the Generals."

Ami, Lita, and Rei all gasped. Mina was calm, but her eyes had hardened slightly.

"Your Majesty!" Lita burst out. "We—I—can't do that! How can I keep something like this back from Nephrite? A marriage is supposed to be built on trust! I—"

Queen Selenity cut her off. "You will follow orders, Jupiter."

The use of her Senshi name stopped Lita short. She bowed her head and bit her lip to keep from saying the angry, indignant words on the tip of her tongue.

"My Queen," Ami spoke up, her navy-blue eyes troubled. "Fulfilling our duty to your daughter will be difficult if we are unable to adequately protect her because we have to worry about our identities being discovered." Ami was trying to think logically, even though the thought of lying to her beloved Zoicite twisting her stomach into knots.

"We thought of that." The Queen brushed one of her long silver ponytails back over her shoulder. "You are not to transform into the Sailor Senshi except in a case of dire need. And I do mean _dire_ need. You four have been training physically for a number of years and should be fully competent to handle many situations without calling upon your powers." She directed a stern glance at Ami and Lita. "Under most circumstances, there will be no need for lies and misdirection."

Rei's violet eyes were flashing. "Why is this subterfuge necessary?" she demanded as politely as she could manage.

Mina had a pretty good idea she knew what was going on, but she listened quietly for the Queen's explanation.

Selenity's face was unreadable and she was silent for a few moments. Finally, she said, "While the Council has agreed that allowing Earth to join the Alliance will be beneficial for all of us, we cannot escape the fact that they know more than they are telling us. Until we are sure they can be completely trusted, we see no need for them to know whom the mysterious Sailor Senshi are. At this time, the risks are too great." She gave them a sympathetic look. "I am truly sorry for the position this puts you in, but as of now, I swear you to silence."

"Queen Selenity," Mina said softly, before any of the other princesses could speak, "Will you ever release us from this oath?"

Selenity looked at the blonde sharply. "Yes. As soon as we learn what the Terrans are hiding and determine Earth is no longer a potential safety hazard, you will be released."

Mina knelt and crossed her hand over her heart in a formal salute. "I solemnly swear to keep my identity as Sailor Venus, guardian of the Moon and its Princess, Venus, and the Silver Alliance, a secret until such time as I should be released from my vow."

Slowly, Rei followed suit, repeating the words in a flat monotone that nonetheless crackled with passion.

Ami, clearly torn, chewed on her lower lip for a few seconds, but obediently saluted and repeated the oath formula in a hesitant voice that gradually grew stronger.

The Queen turned her attention to Lita. "Jupiter?"

Lita reluctantly looked up, green eyes stormy. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly before saluting. In clipped tones, she said, "I solemnly swear to keep my identity as Sailor Jupiter, Guardian of the Moon and its Princess, Jupiter, and the Silver Alliance a secret until such time as I should be released from my vow."

"Thank you. I have forbidden Serenity to say anything concerning this matter. She understands that privilege is yours and yours alone." Selenity considered them a moment before saying softly, "You are dismissed now."

As one, they rose and curtsied gracefully. Then, heads held high, the four of them left the Moon Queen's presence. No one spoke until they reached their wing of the palace. Mina, in the lead, motioned for them to follow her into her room. Once she had safely shut the door, the dam broke.

Lita began to pace the floor angrily. Rei positioned herself in a chair, arms folded tightly across her chest and violet eyes flashing with an intensity that rivaled Lita's. Ami sank down on Mina's bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. Her navy blue eyes were huge and filled with anxiety.

Mina leaned up against the door lazily, resting one hand on her hip. "Well," she drawled, "This is certainly a pretty cucumber."

"A pretty cucumber," Lita echoed, too stunned to even notice Mina had gotten the saying wrong. She whirled around and advanced on the blonde, demanding, "Is that _all_ you have to say about this? We swear to keep the most important and dangerous thing about us a secret from the men who are going to be our life mates and all you can say is that it's a PRETTY CUCUMBER?" Her voice rose with each word.

Mina met her molten green gaze coolly. "What was I supposed to say? It's done now. We will do our duty and keep the promise we made."

"You certainly didn't waste any time taking that oath," Re remarked waspishly.

Mina slid down the length of the door until she was sitting on the floor and propped her chin up in her hands. "I'm the leader of the Senshi, Rei. Leaders lead by being the first to do their duty. You followed me, didn't you?" She turned a determined face to her friends. "The Queen will release us from it eventually. In the meantime, all we have to do is keep Serenity out of trouble." She laughed brightly. "You know Endymion won't let her out of his sight, so how hard is keeping the Sailor Senshi a secret going to be?"

"I suppose you're right," Lita conceded gruffly, her anger dissipating like clouds after a storm. "But I still don't like it."

"Nor do I," Ami and Rei said in unison. They glanced at each other and then back at Mina, who smiled; the first real smile she had given anyone since learning about her betrothal.

"Don't lose hope," she said softly.

—- ——- ——- —

One week later, Lita, Ami, Rei, and Mina left the Moon to spend the last two weeks before their move to Earth with their families. When they returned, they found Serenity's excitement had increased ten-fold in their absence. Her happiness was contagious, and it would have taken a person a great deal more bitter than Mina to withstand her.

That night however, as Mina lay in the room she had occupied since she was four, she reflected on all the things she was going to miss about life on the Moon. She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, but did not cry. _Perhaps we will grow to love each other. Or perhaps Malachite will be so upset that he swears he won't marry me at all._ A slight smile hovered over Mina's lips, and comforted by that thought, she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she was rather rudely jolted back to reality. Several people flopped onto the bed and shook her until they were sure she was conscious.

"Mina, Mina!" Lita exclaimed. She pulled away the pillow Mina had burrowed under. "You've got to wake up! We have to get ready!"

"Come on, sleepyhead," Rei said tartly, but her purple eyes were dancing as well. "You can't spend the day in bed. There are far too many things to take care of before we leave."

"Oh, please," Serenity begged, "Please, Mina, get up!" She slid off the bed and darted over to the window, where she drew the curtains aside, allowing the early dawn sunlight to fall over Mina's face.

Mina opened one blue eye and then the other, squinting against the golden sunlight. _This must be payback for all those early morning training sessions I put them through_, she thought ruefully. "And I was having such a good dream too," she grumbled aloud, sitting up and swinging her legs out of the bed, nearly dislodging Ami in the process.

"About Malachite?" Ami asked innocently, a bright smile on her face.

Mina's temper flared, but she tamped it down and laughed. It _had_ been about Malachite, oddly enough; a dream in which he was ranting and raving that no force in the world could tie him to such a gorgeous creature as the Princess of Venus, but there was no way she could explain that to the others. Malachite was not a topic she wished to discuss with them. "No! I was dreaming about being at a…." she thought rapidly, "...a ball where every single man wanted to dance with me." It was calculated to divert their attention and it did so.

Her friends exchanged looks of wry exasperation.

"Oh, Mina," Ami sighed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless."

_You have no idea, Ami,_ Mina thought bitterly, still smiling. _You have no idea._

—- ——- ——- — _  
_

It seemed the entire population of the Moon had come to see them off. Mina stood with the other princesses and the rest of their entourage, waiting for the Queen to teleport them to Earth. Serenity was waving madly at everyone. After a brief speech, the Queen raised the Imperium Silver Crystal.

Mina's eyes were dry as the familiar surroundings of the courtyard were obscured by a pink haze. She was strong. She would make the best of her situation.

After what seemed like only a moment, the pink haze began to fade. Mina heard Serenity and several others gasp. She glanced around and could not restrain a gasp of her own.

Earth was beautiful.

It was quite possibly the most beautiful planet she had ever seen and that was only her first impression. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue and the colors...Mina felt her eyes go a bit misty. Colors were so...sharp, vivid, and alive here.

They were standing in a courtyard built from gleaming grey stone flecked with darker specks that sparkled in the sun. The Terran palace, its walls, towers, and spires built from the same material, rose majestically above them beyond a tall archway. Blossoming trees lined the inside of the courtyard, their delicate colors contrasting with the fresh green of new leaves. The air was sweet and fresh, with a refreshing breeze.

"Jupiter isn't this beautiful," Lita murmured in awe, attempting to take everything in.

"Nor is Venus," Mina agreed. She looked around again, speculatively, and noticed the crowd slowly assembling around them. The muted whispers did not surprise her. _Ah, yes. They've never seen off-worlders before._ She had to fight a smile.

Poised regally beneath the archway were the Terran King and his Queen. Endymion stood slightly behind them, a smile on his face, and his Generals flanked him. Malachite's silver hair picked up the light and Mina caught her breath. _He's as handsome as I remember,_ she admitted to herself, _but that is no excuse for his cold and unfriendly behavior._ Then, she though plaintively, not for the first time. _What did I do to keep him from liking me?_

Queen Selenity stepped forward and was greeted warmly by King Edward and his wife, who were delighted to finally meet the Queen of the Moon. She introduced Serenity to them and then Endymion promptly claimed the Moon Princess's hand. One by one, the other princesses were presented to the King and Queen and then greeted by their betrothed. Mina waited patiently for her turn, a faint smile fixed firmly on her face.

"May I present Princess Mina of Venus?" Luna said formally.

Mina took several sedate steps forward, curtseyed, and said brightly, "How do you do, Your Majesties?" She couldn't restrain the genuine smile that stretched across her face. Earth, if nothing else, would certainly be interesting.

The Queen of Earth smiled in return, feeling that this Venusian Princess was cut from the same cloth as Princess Serenity. They were both so full of life that she felt her own heart lightening. "I hope you enjoy living here, my dear."

"I'm quite sure I shall, Your Majesty." Mina turned and dipped a regal curtsey as Malachite approached and bowed. "Hello again, General Malachite," she said coolly, her excitement fading away.

He kissed her hand politely, and when he spoke, his voice was flat and toneless, matching the rather grim expression in his eyes. "Princess Mina." He offered her his arm and they followed the rest of the procession into the palace.

Having expected a deluge of excited chatter, Malachite looked down at Mina with a tiny bit of amazement when she said nothing. He was thankful she had not immediately begun talking his ear off of course...but it was unexpected. Mina simply smiled brightly and looked around in wonder at the Terran palace. In fact, as the day progressed, she said very little outside of essential formalities. _Well_, he thought, _this will make things all the easier._

A small part of his mind, however, couldn't help wondering if she was in shock. Surely this wasn't right. It wasn't, for lack of a better term...Mina.

—- ——- ——- —

A huge feast was held that night in honor of the off-world visitors. Mina enjoyed it, but kept wishing for the evening to end. She wanted to escape the pressing throng of people congratulating her on being betrothed to Malachite. They might think he was a wonderful catch, but she certainly had doubts on the matter, and she certainly wasn't _that_ excited to be here.

When the festivities had died down somewhat, Queen Selenity, Serenity, the other princesses, and their entourage were escorted to their quarters for the night. Mina knew Serenity was disappointed she had not been able to speak much to Endymion and philosophically explained to her friend that such was the way of royal weddings. She would, Mina assured her, no doubt see a great deal of him the next day.

After breakfast the next morning, Endymion and his generals, with the exception of Malachite, who was on duty, were waiting for the princesses when they left the Great Hall.

Endymion bowed to Serenity. "May I have the honor of showing Her Highness the royal gardens?"

Princess Serenity cast a quick, questioning glance at her mother, who nodded. "I would love to." She beamed at Endymion and tucked her arm through his. Falling immediately into conversation, they moved towards the south wing of the palace, which was closest to the gardens.

Queen Selenity, Luna, and several of her advisors disappeared down the hall, off, Mina suspected, to talk to the Queen and King about the last few remaining wedding details.

"Princess Mina," Zoicite said in a quiet voice as he gave her a polite bow. "I apologize for Malachite's absence, but he commands the palace guard today." Left unspoken was the fact that Malachite had not seen fit to arrange for someone to take his place.

Mina waved a hand nonchalantly. "That's quite all right, General. Duty calls. Perfectly understandable." She smiled at her friends and said with a mischievous wink, "Enjoy the gardens. I think I'll join Queen Selenity." She swept down the hall to their left, down which the Queen and her attendants were just turning the corner. The finality of everything was starting to sink in and she wished she could be rid of the heavy ache in her chest.

Once safely in the winding gardens, the four royal couples suddenly scattered, leaving confused attendants in their wake, scrambling to keep up. Serenity and Endymion disappeared into the rose garden, while Jadeite pulled Rei into a grove of weeping willows near the edge of a placid pool of water. Nephrite insisted Lita had to see Earth oaks and they vanished into the depths of the garden as he led her to the far side. Zoicite and Ami, left to themselves, save for several Terran and Lunarian chaperones trailing after them, strolled about for a short while before Zoicite suggested he show Ami where the library was located.

—- ——- ——- —

Walking down a neatly kept path comfortably shaded by tall trees interspersed with exquisite displays of Earth flowers, Rei held back a gasp of surprise when the handsome blond man walking beside her suddenly pulled her off the path and down a slope. In a few seconds, they had passed through a curtain of drooping, feathery leaves, where she was quite sure the chaperones could not see them. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. _What is he doing?_ But then Jadeite turned about and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

"Oh, Rei," he murmured into her hair. "I missed you so much."

Rei allowed her eyes to slide shut and rested her head on his chest, enjoying the feeling of him holding her. "I missed you too, Jade," she said quietly.

They stood together for a few moments, until the blond General released his hold and dropped to one knee before her. "Princess Rei, I know it's already been decided for us to wed, but—" he swallowed, then continued huskily, "I wanted to ask you myself. Will you marry me?"

Rei's hands flew to her mouth and she stared down at the thin gold ring in his palm in shock. "Oh, Jade." She blushed prettily and a warm glow filled her from head to toe. "Yes."

Jadeite stood and slipped the ring onto the fourth finger of Rei's left hand. "This was my mother's," he said. "I think she'd be pleased to know you have it."

The black-haired princess looped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. "You never cease to amaze me," she murmured after a moment. "I never dreamed you'd—you'd…"

"Actually propose?" he said teasingly. His blue eyes were bright and happy.

"Something like that."

Jadeite spun her around crazily and then gave her a devilish grin. "I simply don't want you to ever tell me you had no choice in the matter."

Rei raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why would I say something like that?"

He shrugged innocently. "I can't imagine. Perhaps if you were really angry…" he trailed off and grinned at her.

The amusement in Rei's face faded. She met his gaze seriously. "Jade, you're enough to drive a woman absolutely insane, but…" she allowed a smile to stretch across her face, "I think I can manage you."

"Well, thank you very much. It's nice to know my wife-to-be thinks she'll have me well in hand."

"You're welcome." Rei tossed her head. Then she laughed at the look on his face. "You're so charming when you're indignant, you know that?"

Jadeite sighed and shook his head. "Rei, you have barely been here a day and you're already picking on me." He leaned up against the trunk of the willow tree and surveyed her ruefully.

"You started it," she shot back, completely unperturbed.

"Did not."

"Did too."

Jadeite glared at her teasingly. "You'd better show some respect for your soon-to-be husband, dearest."

Rei batted her long eyelashes innocently. "Jade, I wouldn't dream of doing anything else."

He studied her a moment, fighting a smile. He lost terribly. "Of course you wouldn't." He kissed her once more and then said lightly, "I think we'd best find our chaperones. They're likely to become agitated if we're out of their sight too much longer." He grinned crookedly. "Can't imagine why, myself."

Rei gave him a look as she tucked her arm through his. "I'm sure you can't," she said dryly.

He simply laughed and they returned to the path in silence, happy to be near each other again.

—- ——- ——- —

"I'm not sure our oaks are anything to rival those from Jupiter," Nephrite said in his rich voice, "but I'm sure you will enjoy them, Princess."

Lita smiled at him. "I'm sure I shall." In a lower voice she added, "I've missed you."

He returned her smile, and while he said nothing, his eyes told her he had missed her too. After a short while, they reached the edge of the garden, where a stately line of old oaks guarded the wall. Lita let out a gasp of pleasure and tugged Nephrite along behind her as she left the stone path to lay a reverent palm on the rough bark.

"They look the same," she said softly. "Slightly smaller, but very similar."

Nephrite chuckled. "I'm glad to hear it."

Lita patted the tree once more and allowed Nephrite to continue their tour of the garden. Their chaperones dropped back to a respectful distance, allowing the two a chance to talk.

Nephrite was dying to ignore protocol and wrap his arms around Lita, but he contented himself with pressing his hand tightly against hers where it lay tucked through the crook of his arm. He smiled. "I told you we'd meet again, didn't I?"

Lita laughed and her grip on his arm tightened. "You did. Oh, Neph, I'm so happy this is the way things have turned out."

A light breeze ruffled his wavy brown hair as he looked down at her. "You won't miss the Moon? Jupiter? Your family?"

Lita considered his words. After a moment she said slowly, "I practically grew up on the Moon—with the girls. And the girls will be here too, so it's not exactly like I'm leaving everything familiar behind." She gave him a roguish smile and a wink. "As for my family on Jupiter….well, we can always visit them."

"I suppose we can."

His tone held a hint of doubt and Lita's face fell. "You're not really pleased about this are you?"

Nephrite glanced over at her in shock. "Lita!" he exclaimed, "What gives you that crazy idea? I'm delighted about marrying you. I love you and I am more than happy to be spending the rest of my life with you."

"Truly?" The uncertain wistfulness behind her words stopped him short.

Nephrite caught her hands and gazed at her intently, his cobalt blue eyes serious. "Yes, Lita. Truly. I beg your pardon for causing you any concern. I was merely…a little overwhelmed at the thought of going to Jupiter." He smiled ruefully. "As yet, the farthest I've been from Earth is the Moon."

Lita brightened considerably. "Oh, I see."

Ignoring the rather interested eyes watching them, the stargazer pulled a little bag from inside his jacket. "I have something for you. Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Lita gave him a questioning smile, but did as he directed.

Carefully, he dropped the contents of the bag one by one into her outstretched palm and closed her fingers over them. "Your wedding present."

Lita opened her eyes and looked down. She let out a tiny gasp of surprise. In her hand lay two sparkling rose earrings shaped from pink quartz. She turned them over in delight before looking up at Nephrite with stars in her eyes. "Oh, Neph! They're beautiful! Thank you!"

He smiled, pleased that she liked them. "I had them made for you after the King announced we would be wed."

She immediately placed them in her ears, removing the emerald studs that had been there before. "What do you think?"

"They only add to your beauty," he said softly, tilting her face from one side to the other with gentle fingers.

Lita would have very much liked to throw her arms around his neck, but they had a highly interested audience. She contented herself with giving him a warm smile instead.

Nephrite's eyes twinkled and he said in a low voice, "Don't worry, Princess. Soon we won't need the chaperones anymore."

Lita blushed and they continued on again, chatting lightly.

—- ——- ——- —

Endymion had been looking forward to seeing the delight on Serenity's face when she saw the rose garden in full bloom. He was not disappointed. She dashed around the garden in raptures of delight, and the joy the flowers brought her made his heart swell with love and pride.

After a while, she rejoined him and began to ask questions about the garden, which he happily answered.

He took her to see other flowers native to Earth, such as the lily and orchids. As she bent over a patch of delicate violets, Endymion reflected again, in amazement, that this golden angel was going to be his for the rest of their lives.

Serenity rose to her feet and gave him a brilliant smile. "I really think I'm going to love living here with you, Endy," she declared.

"Because we have roses?" he asked teasingly.

She laughed. "Of course."

He placed a hand over his heart, blue eyes twinkling. "You wound me, Princess. All this time I've been under the impression that I was your sole motivation."

Serenity laughed again and tucked her left arm through the crook of his right. She tapped her chin thoughtfully with a finger of her free hand. "Of course," she said in a mock serious voice, "There _is_ something to be said for having a handsome young Prince steal your heart away."

"I promise to take good care of it, Princess."

She smiled up at him. "I know you will."

Endymion gave her an answering smile before pulling a perfect red rose out of thin air with a flourish. His body concealed the gesture from the discreet chaperones, and assured they would not know where it had come from, he presented it to Serenity. "For today," he said softly.

Still smiling, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, Serenity threaded the flower into her hair. "You're sweet, Endy."

"I try."

She laughed, a merry, silvery, tinkling sound that rang out in the quiet garden. "I'd hate to be on your bad side," she said teasingly.

Endymion shook his head. "You'll never be on my bad side."

Serenity gave him an arch look. "Are you sure of that? Suppose we have an argument? You know I can be quite stubborn when I put my mind to it." She attempted to look stern but failed miserably.

Endymion laughed. "And suppose one day my nose turns orange and falls off?" he countered smoothly.

The diminutive blonde looked at him uncertainly. "Surely that can't happen." She thought he was jesting—he must be—but still…there was no telling what unusual things happened on Earth. Her eyes probed his face anxiously. "You look much better with your nose the way it is."

Endymion couldn't help himself and burst out laughing. "Serenity, I was joking."

"Oh." Serenity hid her embarrassment under a hearty laugh, but her fiancé saw through it.

Endymion took her hands in his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Don't be upset. I was merely trying to illustrate that the 'what if's' are pointless. I don't think you and I could ever have a truly serious disagreement."

Serenity glanced down. "I was worried because I wasn't sure if that was something that could actually happen on Earth." She sighed and said quietly, "I should have studied more. I don't know much about these kinds of things—I—I'll do my best to learn more for you, Endy."

Endymion took her by the shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes. "Don't change, Serenity. Everyone who knows you loves you for the way you are. Don't feel badly. Book leaning isn't everything." He quirked a half-smile. "There are some things books can't teach."

"What do you mean?"

"Serenity, I've never met anyone who rivals your talent for making people feel better. You know when someone is hurting and you try to make things right." He shook his head. "You just seem to brighten up everything around you."

Tears glistened in her blue eyes. "Endy…" she whispered. "Thank you. I needed to hear that."

He grinned at her crookedly. "I know." They looked at each other for a long moment before an unexpected cough from one of their chaperones broke the spell. They started off again, but not before Endymion had murmured softly, "I love you, Princess."

Serenity gave him another brilliant smile that spoke, at that moment, louder than all the words in the world.

—- ——- ——- —

Ami and Zoicite walked comfortably down the halls, earnestly discussing the pros and cons of the newly signed treaty between Earth and the Moon. Their chaperones eyed each other, and then the couple in surprise. This was not exactly the conversation they had expected to overhear. Not that they had any intentions of eavesdropping, of course.

"Really, Zoi," Ami said with a shake of her head, "I was very surprised to hear that marriage was the only condition either side placed on Earth's induction into the Alliance."

Zoicite conceded the point. "However, I think things have turned out for the best, wouldn't you agree?" He brushed a few strands of red-gold hair out of his face and studied her intently.

The blue-haired Mercurian princess blushed under his scrutiny. "I do," she murmured.

"You do what?" he asked playfully.

"I agree with you," she clarified, giving him a suspicious look.

"Oh. I thought you were practicing for our wedding vows," he said slyly. There was something absolutely fascinating about watching her turn bright pink.

To his surprise, Ami did not fall into the trap. She merely shook her head. "No, I've already done that."

Zoicite stared at her in amusement. "Do you mean to tell me," he demanded in a low voice calculated not to carry to their chaperones, "That you've already rehearsed our wedding?"

She looked taken aback. "I haven't rehearsed," she protested defensively, "I simply memorized my vows so I wouldn't panic at the altar." She realized her voice had risen loudly and flushed pink.

"I'm sorry," Zoicite said quietly. "I was jesting with you."

"You're forgiven." Ami's embarrassment faded and she gave him a smile.

They walked on in silence for another few moments until they came to a pair of wide doors at the end of a long hall. "This, my lady, is the library," Zoicite announced as he opened the door and held it for her to enter.

He glanced over his shoulder and noted that the member of the Terran Court assigned to chaperone them (he never could remember that woman's name) looked mildly taken aback to find him escorting his bride-to-be into the library. He doubted she had even known where the library was to begin with. The Lunarian chaperone, on the other hand, did not seem surprised at all.

Drawn by the allure of the books waiting for her, Ami floated through the door. Zoicite paused on the threshold. He looked straight at the Lunarian woman and shook his head, praying she would understand the significance of the room he was showing Ami. Apparently she did, because she spoke in a low voice to her companion and the two took up a position in the doorway instead of entering.

"Oh, my." Ami looked around in wide-eyed delight. She needn't have worried about whether or not she would have reading material on Earth. The library was not as large as the one in the Moon Palace, but it spanned the length and breadth of several large rooms. It was also completely full of books. Shelves stretched all the way to the high ceiling and towering bookcases in the center of the room allowed for more.

Zoicite grinned broadly as he sauntered up next to her, a thoroughly satisfied air about him. "I thought you'd like it. You can come in here whenever you like."

Ami reached out to reverently touch the spine of the closest book, a red leather and gold embossed affair, before turning to him with sparkling eyes. "I really think I'm going to love living here, Zoi." She hesitated, and then confessed, "I was half afraid I wouldn't find anything to read."

"I can assure you, Princess, you needn't worry about that."

Zoicite watched her wander around examining the books for a few minutes before saying lightly, belying the wistful anxiety in his leaf green eyes, "Are you sure you wish to marry me, Ami?" A wave of doubt had suddenly crashed over him. He took half a step forward. "I won't make you if you don't wish it—I'll explain things to the King and Queen." He took a breath and said steadily, "I want you to be happy, Ami, whatever it takes."

Ami's eyes widened at his words, catching the anxious undertone. "I _am_ happy, Zoi," she said earnestly, moving to take his hands in hers. "I've looked forward so much to coming here to be with you. You're the only man I've ever met who doesn't think I'm insane for reading so much and wanting to learn about all these things. Even on Mercury I'm considered a bit of an oddity." She looked up at him shyly. "I love you."

Zoicite's heart swelled with happiness until he thought it would probably burst out of his chest. He brushed a kiss over her cheek and said softly, "You, love, are the first woman I've ever met who would rather read than dance! You've got a brain and you actually use it. Do you know how rare that is?"

Ami blushed crimson.

He laughed and pulled her into a hug, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm glad you are pleased with the library. It was my refuge for a long time." He tucked a lock of blue hair behind her ear, his hand lingering to frame her face. "I think we'll be happy, Ami."

"I think you're right."

Zoicite tilted her face up and kissed her softly. "I love you," he murmured in her ear.

Then, with a reluctant air, he said, "We'd best get back to the chaperones."

Ami smiled dreamily and straightened his collar. "I love you too."

He sketched an airy bow. "Well, my princess, now that you have learned where that place of greatest importance, the library, is located, shall I show you the rest of the palace?"

Ami tucked her arm through his and laughed. "That would be lovely."

"Very well then. Off we go." They passed through the door and into the hall, where their chaperones began to follow them once more, deliberately ignoring the rosy flush in Ami's cheeks.

—- ——- ——- —

That night, having successfully avoided Malachite all day, Mina lay in her bed and stared at up at the paneled ceiling. She was in a guest room for tonight and the next night, but knew she would naturally be moving in with Malachite after the wedding. The blonde suppressed a shudder. She was not looking forward to that. Clearly Malachite shared the sentiment—he must, if he couldn't even stand to look at her. She had noticed how he had steadfastly ignored her presence.

She lay awake that night until she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, desperately running over plans of escape, each more wild than the one before it. It was a vain pursuit and she knew it. The matter went beyond her duties as a princess marrying a high-ranking member of a foreign world's court to cement the relationship between their worlds. She was a soldier and she had been given an order to protect Serenity at all cost. She would do her duty, even if it killed her. Which, she reflected grimly, it probably would. For a Venusian, there were few fates worse than being forced into a marriage where there was no love.

* * *

Whee! Things are progressing. Coming soon...the weddings...and things just don't get easier for poor Mina and Mal. 

Provided she doesn't get deluged again, my beta should have the next chapter back to me in a few days and it'll probably be up next week.

Don't forget to let me know what you think. Cheers!


	6. Part 5: Wedding Bell Blues

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Hey, everybody! Welcome back to FLOD! I hope y'all enjoy this chapter--hopefully it's a lot less corny than the previous version. I know I like it a lot better. :smiles:

Just by way of explanation, this one has very little of anyone but Mina and Mal. The others are there of course, but for the most part, they're on the back burner. (Can't you hear Jade yelling about how hot it is? Oh, wait, it's not because of the burner—he's screaming 'cause Rei just fried him. Thanks, Rei! You saved me the trouble!) And, yes, today is the BIG DAY.

Thanks to everyone for continuing to read to read and review—it's wonderful to know people enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

Special thanks again go to Dejana Talis for being an amazing beta-reader. A lot of the plot holes in the original version of FLOD have been fixed thanks to her.

With that said, onward!

_"Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD." Proverbs 19:14_

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* * *

_

**For Love or Duty**

**Part 5:**

**Wedding Bell Blues**

The most anticipated wedding day in Earth's history dawned bright and clear, promising to be truly gorgeous. Mina stood transfixed at her window, watching the eastern sky. She had never seen such a delicate pink tinge the horizon before; the Moon lacked sufficient atmosphere for truly glorious sunrises or sunsets, and the skies of her own planet were more orange than pink.

Her hands clenched the windowsill convulsively as her attempt to distract herself with the sunrise failed. As hard as she tried to ignore it, she was all too aware of the dress displayed in the corner of the room, taunting her. Mina was too proud to admit to anyone that she was terrified, but it was true. She had not slept well the night before and had tossed and turned as rest evaded her, the dress a reminder of the horror to come.

What with last minute preparations and dress alterations (Mina had not been eating as much and her wedding gown was loose), the past two days had gone by far too quickly. Her hesitancy to discuss Malachite with anyone had been noticed by the ladies of the King and Queen's court, but they excused her behavior as a case of shyness. Mina knew the excuse had outlived its usefulness; from today on, she was expected to be a happy bride.

Mina was confident she could play the part well enough to fool casual observers, though she knew she wouldn't be able to fool the girls for long…or even Malachite. But this morning marked a turning point in her life; it was the last time she would be able to truly be herself. After today, Mina was embarking on the greatest charade of her life.

She continued to watch the sky as she considered their itinerary for the day. The weddings were to be held in the mid-afternoon with a feast afterwards. A huge ball was to take place that night. Mina sighed, her eyes solemn. It was going to be a long, taxing day.

_What I wouldn't do for a good training session right now,_ she thought wistfully, though she knew it was entirely out of the question. She wouldn't have any more training sessions—unless there was a way to do them on the sly—until the Queen released the Senshi from their oath of secrecy. Mina rubbed her forehead tiredly. She doubted there could be much on Earth to cause problems, but were something to happened, that oath would be a source of great frustration.

She drummed her fingers against the windowsill. _In some respects, it's a good thing I don't have to tell Malachite who Sailor Venus really is. He'd faint._ The thought of him collapsing to the floor in shock sent Mina into a gale of laughter, but she sobered all too quickly. _And then he would never speak to me again._ The thought was not pleasant, given that they would be bound to each other for the rest of their lives.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she called, turning away from the window.

A dark-haired girl in a trim maid's uniform entered the room with a tray of food. She looked rather surprised to see Mina already awake, but immediately dropped a curtsey. "Good morning, Your Highness. Her Majesty thought you might want to enjoy your meal in peace and sends this to you with her compliments."

Mina gave her a smile. "Thank you."

The girl ducked her head politely and set the tray on the small table in one corner of the room. "Is there anything else you require, Princess?"

Mina shook her head. "You may go."

The maid curtseyed again and departed.

With a sigh, Mina settled down and attempted to eat, but she merely picked at her food. Though it looked delicious, knowledge of the sacrifice she would be making that day had destroyed her appetite.

Across the palace, her intended was in the same dour mood.

—- ——- ——- —

_I'm doomed_, Malachite thought bitterly, looking on in the room he was henceforth to share with Princess Mina. He had not slept well the night before, in part because he had refused to sleep in the larger, ornate bed henceforth intended for the two of them. It had been much easier, though not nearly as comfortable, to make up a pallet on the floor instead.

He considered himself fortunate to have avoided Mina for two days, but he wouldn't be able to stay away from her forever. Running a hand irritably through his silver locks, Malachite strode from his bedroom into his study and collapsed into the chair before his desk. He stared out the window blankly.

_Just what I need. A crazy woman to look after on top of everything else._ Malachite glanced back over his shoulder at the bedchamber. There was absolutely no way he would share a room with that—that…_incredibly beautiful woman_, the rebellious part of his mind supplied helpfully. He growled. _Stay out of it._ He didn't care what anyone thought; he wasn't sharing a room with her. It implied he condoned the situation, which was about as far from the case as could possibly be.

The silver-haired First General drummed his fingers against the desk. He had to figure out something quickly. When the Third Steward summarily rearranged his quarters, bringing in the things Mina had brought with her, presumably from Venus, and setting everything up, Malachite had been unable to find a polite way to tell the man he didn't intend to share a room with his wife. Unfortunately, it left him scrambling for a solution at the last minute.

_What am I going to do with her? Send her back to Venus? _Malachite chuckled mirthlessly. _I wish. Unfortunately that's completely out of the question. _He glanced around his study again, noting its size, and then his eyes settled on the door to his bedchamber.

His lavender eyes widened as an idea struck him. "That's it!" He jumped to his feet and began to pace the floor.

He had two options when it came to dealing with Mina. One involved procuring larger quarters with enough space for them both to have separate bedchambers and a common room, but a move to different quarters would mean he wouldn't be on the same hall as Endymion and the rest of the Generals. _It will also_, he thought grimly, _be a very public process._ The second, more feasible idea, involved giving the bedchamber to Mina and converting his study into his own bedchamber. Malachite smiled tightly. It would serve the dual purpose of keeping her out of his way and keeping her safe.

_Perfect._

His energy renewed, Malachite went back into his bedchamber and looked around thoughtfully. Almost everything in the room either belonged to Mina or would soon belong to her. Nodding to himself, he left and went in search of two servants he knew to be both reliable and discreet.

He found them helping the kitchen staff carry loads of foodstuffs into the palace. As soon as they caught sight of him, they stopped what they were doing and hurried over to him. "My lord?" they said together, bowing respectfully.

"Jacobe, Tobias, I want the two of you to locate the furniture the Third Steward removed from my quarters yesterday and take it back. Arrange it in my study in the most expedient manner."

"Yes, my lord."

Malachite gave them the short list of things he wanted found and then directed them to move certain items from his bedchambers into the study. "And for heaven's sake be careful," he finished irritably. "The last thing I need is for some _priceless_ object to be broken."

"Of course, my lord," Jacobe said smoothly. "It will be done."

"Good." With that, Malachite strode off to inspect the guards and take care of a few things before the wedding ceremony.

Tobias and Jacobe exchanged glances behind his back.

"None of our business, you know, but I wonder why the General wants his old bed back?" Tobias said in a puzzled voice, scratching his mop of red hair.

His brown-haired companion straightened his uniform and shrugged. "I don't know."

"All the rumors I've heard say that the Generals and those Princesses are madly in love."

Jacobe laughed sharply. "Does General Malachite look like a man madly in love?" Tobias was a good fellow, but he was too much of a romantic for his own good. It was Jacobe's own firm opinion that the First General was not at all pleased with the arrangement.

"No, but—" Tobias protested.

"Toby," Jacobe said sternly, "If I were you, I'd drop it." He clapped his crestfallen friend on the shoulder. "Let's hop to it. No need to inconvenience the General further."

"Right."

—- ——- ——- —

Mina was standing by the window again when the maid returned to pick up her tray. She had absolutely nothing to do until the dressing ritual began and the silent room reflected her mood.

"You didn't eat very much, Princess Mina," the maid said in a half-disapproving, half-worried voice. "That's not good for you."

"I'm not hungry."

The maid's expression cleared and she nodded knowingly. "Butterflies in your stomach?" she asked. "I had them before I married my husband." She flushed and looked down. "I'm sorry, Your Highness, I'm talking out of turn, I know."

"That's all right," Mina said, willing cheerfulness to return to her voice. She turned to look at the maid and smiled. "I don't mind. How long have you been married?"

The maid blushed again. "Six months," she murmured.

"That's wonderful. It's obvious you're very happy together."

"We love each other, Princess."

Mina was silent for a moment, reflecting on that thought. Abruptly, she roused herself and asked, "Do you know if the other princesses are awake yet?"

"Yes, Your Highness. They are."

"Thank you." Mina glanced over in the corner where her wedding dress stood ready, and the maid, considering herself dismissed, vanished with the breakfast tray. Mina stepped closer to the silky, heavily embroidered creation and ran a finger across the intricately beaded bodice. _Love. How I wish I was marrying for love today._

She shook her head. _No use crying over frozen milk. Time to make sure Serenity hasn't gone back to sleep or she'll miss her wedding._ The thought brought a smile to her face. Determined to be cheerful, Mina left the room and drifted down the hall to Serenity's temporary quarters.

—- ——- ——- —

Not surprisingly, the process of getting ready for their weddings began many hours before the actual event. Serenity's quarters, being the largest, had been chosen as the staging ground and her rooms were full of maids, seamstresses, ladies of the court, and other newcomers busily performing their tasks. The princesses were bathed, perfumed, and laced into their undergarments. Serenity's long hair was exclaimed over by the Terran women, who had never seen hair of that length before, while Ami's hair astonished them because of its color.

Mina stood very still as the buttons on her lovely white dress were done up one by one. _How many of them are there?_ she wondered, fighting the urge to fidget a half-hour later. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Rei and Lita both being buttoned up as well.

"Ginevra," Rei said, a slightly desperate edge in her voice, "My knees are about to lock up."

Her maid murmured an apology and her fingers flew even faster down the back of Rei's dress. A moment later, she stepped away. "It is finished, Your Highness."

"Oh, thank goodness." Rei sank down gingerly onto the edge of the closest chair and stretched her legs as best she could.

Lita and Mina laughed, while Serenity and Ami, who could see each other, exchanged amused glances. "Not worn out already, are you, Rei?" Serenity asked teasingly.

Rei gave the back of the Moon Princess's head a withering look. "Of course not," she said primly.

Conversation continued, and out of all of them, Mina appeared to be the most excited. She laughed and chattered gaily, deftly deflecting any discussion from herself and more than adequately hiding the fact that she felt like she was breaking inside. By the end of the afternoon, however, as she watched two maids settled her shimmering veil into place, her giddiness had vanished. Her heart and mind were both numb and everything began to take on the dreamlike quality of a particularly bad nightmare.

—- ——- ——- —

Zoicite's already jangled nerves were stretched to the breaking point when Jadeite burst into his chambers unexpectedly.

"Zoi, I need a comb! I can't find mine." His blue eyes were as wild as his unruly blond hair, which surprised Zoicite. Jadeite was usually very much in control of himself.

"What happened to yours?" Zoicite said as he fished a comb from a drawer and tossed it to his friend.

"I don't know. It just disappeared." Jadeite began attacking his hair and Zoicite winced.

"Jade, if you keep doing that, you're going to pull all your hair out by the roots and end up bald."

The blond man shot him a scornful look. "I doubt it. You're just jealous your hair isn't this easy to take care of." He glanced in the mirror and smiled in satisfaction, "Finally." He handed the comb back to the Third General. "Thank you." Then he was gone.

Zoicite shook his head and looked in the mirror. He frowned as he saw several strands of hair that had slipped out of his ponytail. Grimacing, he pulled his curly hair back again. _Stay,_ he commanded it silently. He braced his hands on the wall and took a deep breath. _Don't panic. Don't panic. There's nothing to panic about. You're marrying the girl of your dreams in a little while. _He nearly choked as a hand came suddenly down on his shoulder and he whirled around.

"Jumpy today, aren't we?" Nephrite said, a smirk clearly evident on his face.

"Don't _do_ that." Zoicite glared at him, green sparks all but shooting from his eyes.

"Calm down, Zoi," the brown-haired man told him evenly. "We're just getting married."

Zoicite's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Just getting married?" he spluttered, "JUST getting MARRIED? Nephrite, do you have any idea how SERIOUS this is!"

"It's not worth panicking over." Nephrite glanced in the mirror and adjusted his collar, somehow managing to keep a straight face. No need to tell Zoicite he'd already done all of _his_ panicking.

Even though he was a good distance down the hall—the Generals' quarters were on the same corridor, with Endymion's chambers up the stairs—Malachite could hear Zoicite and Nephrite's exchange. He shook his head. _Some things never change._ Those two would be verbally sparring until the end of time.

Ignoring the commotion, Malachite slipped into his wedding jacket. He was wearing a formal version of his regular uniform; white with turquoise and gold trim in honor of the occasion. As usual, he left the top button undone—perhaps his only protest against his life of dull, stiff formalities. He glanced in the mirror and laughed shortly. Silver hair, white clothes, he could almost disappear if he stood against a white wall. He half-wished he could.

Face impassive, he went in search of Endymion, and found him leaning on his balcony, staring down at the rose garden with a pensive air about him. "Endymion, are you well?"

The Prince turned and grinned crookedly. "I'm fine, Mal. Just thinking." The ebony-haired man turned his attention back to the garden.

"Cold feet?" Malachite suggested wryly.

Endymion laughed. "Not at all. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. You?"

Malachite froze for a moment. How could he say he had been dreading this day for months? Aloud, he said smoothly, "I'm fine, your Highness."

"Mal, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Endy? We've only known each other all of my life. You're too formal." Endymion clapped him on the back jovially.

The silver-haired General bowed, accepting the good-natured chastisement. "My apologies, Endy. If you'll excuse me?" He left, and the Prince went back to his contemplation of the garden, a dreamy smile on his lips.

—- ——- ——- —

Earth's capital city, Terra, was packed with as many people as could possibly squeeze themselves within its gates. The church where the ceremonies were to be held was full to capacity, with thousands more people lining the streets. The Princesses were escorted to the chapel by a Lunarian Guard Queen Selenity had brought with her. Serenity waved enthusiastically to the curious, awestruck crowds that pushed and shoved against each other for a better look at the off-worlders.

As she and the others took their places inside, Mina caught a glimpse of her mother, who was seated at the front with the rest of the visiting royalty. The Venusian Queen's long-time advisor Artemis would walk Mina down the aisle. She thought briefly of her father, who had died of a sudden illness when she was four and really too young to remember him. Artemis had become her surrogate father in many respects and it was only natural he should have the honor of delivering her to Malachite.

Queen Selenity and Serenity, who was positively radiant, glided arm in arm down the aisle to where Endymion stood waiting for her. The Queen gravely handed her daughter to the Terran prince and took her place off to the side opposite Endymion's parents.

"It's your turn now," Artemis said in a low, comforting voice, as he patted her arm. He knew she wasn't happy, but there wasn't anything to be done about it now. They stared down the aisle and Mina mustered a serene smile as he walked her to her doom, thankful for his presence. She came to a halt beside Malachite and stood tall, though she barely reached his shoulder.

His face was as stern as ever, but inside, Malachite was experiencing a flood of different emotions. His first thought, upon seeing Mina in her wedding gown, was a heartfelt, _She's beautiful. _On the heels of that thought came another, one of regret that he and his bride had no common interests. He glanced sideways at Mina's veiled face. Though obscured by the lacy veil, he could see the tense set of her jaw. He wondered if she was nervous and then shoved the thought away, wishing yet again that he didn't have to go through with this charade.

Lita floated down the aisle next, on the arm of her tall father, whose usual jovial manner was slightly subdued. Ami and Rei followed her. The King of Mercury seemed to be quite at ease, while Rei's father radiated suppressed tension beneath his stoic façade. One by one, the three brides took their places beside Nephrite, Zoicite, and Jadeite, who could not quite hide their awe.

"Hello, beautiful," Jadeite murmured under his breath, fully aware that he ran the risk of Rei's father, who stood a short distance away, overhearing him.

Rei gave him a sideways glare beneath her veil. "Behave," she said in a whisper, lips barely moving.

Jadeite held back a smirk.

As the ceremony began, Mina struggled to keep a peaceful expression on her face. She wanted to run—she wanted to leave Earth and never return. This was the death of all her hopes and dreams—the point of no return. She swallowed and forced herself to breathe. Of course, there was also the fact that standing in such close proximity to Malachite had elevated her heartbeat and she wasn't entirely sure it was from anxiety. The elusiveness of her reaction unnerved her.

—- ——- ——- —

"I do." Malachite's deep voice was quiet, though it echoed loudly in the still chapel. He considered the magnitude of what he'd just agreed to uphold and fought to keep a crushing wave of despair from washing over him. _Until death do us part._ He was well and truly trapped now.

The chaplain repeated the marriage vow and looked expectantly at Mina.

Mina swallowed the lump in her throat. There was no question of what she would say. She was a soldier. She was strong. The eloquent words that would bind her to Malachite came out in a steady voice, belying the way her knees were trembling.

At long last, the chaplain announced in a clear, ringing voice, "I pronounce these couples man and wife. You may each kiss your bride."

Malachite slowly lifted Mina's veil. Her face was solemn, something he hadn't quite expected from her, and her eyes briefly held a trace of something he couldn't identify before it was wiped away. Sadness? Resignation? Fear? He leaned forward and quickly brushed his lips against hers.

It was as if a spark ignited between them.

Startled, Malachite pulled back and stared at her, searching for the meaning of that spark. She met his gaze with a look of surprise as profound as his own. Belatedly, he realized he was still staring and took her arm, turning so they both faced the crowd seated in the church. A huge cheer went up, shaking the very foundation of the building.

Amidst the haze still enveloping him, it suddenly occurred to Malachite that he could have—probably should have, given what had just happened—kissed Mina's cheek. He closed his eyes briefly. He had intended to do so but… just once, he had wanted to know what kissing her was like.

Shaking off the daze precipitated by Malachite's brief caress, Mina's eyes filled with tears at the cheers and joyous shouts and she angrily blinked them away. She had always dreamed of her marriage being a happy thing, and yet here she was, quite miserable. She cast a glance to either side of her. The auras surrounding her friends were so strong she could almost see the colors swirling around them and she felt a heavy weight press on her chest. She did her best to put her happy mask back on as they walked down the aisle together behind Endymion and Serenity and if a few tears slipped through, no one noticed.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina managed to make it through the feast with little trouble, but as the opening of the ball drew near, her stomach dropped all the way down to her toes and refused to return. She was quite sure Malachite would dance with her once—the required and expected dance—but she was by no means convinced that he would spend any more time with her than absolutely necessary. She would, for all practices and purposes, be ignored yet again and it stung.

Then there was the troubling fact that she could not quite convince herself that there was no connection between them. He had felt something too when he kissed her— the surprised look on his face was a dead giveaway. Sipping a glass of wine and looking everywhere but at Malachite, who was seated next to her, Mina wondered if his lips still tingled, and if he had been left with butterflies in his stomach. Taking another hasty gulp, she pushed the thought away. He couldn't stand her. What was the point of bothering about it when it was so unlikely they would ever kiss again?

At the end of the feast, King Edward stood and motioned for silence. When the Great Hall quieted, he smiled broadly and spread his arms. "Let the dance begin!"

There was a mass exodus to the ballroom. Laughing, Endymion and Serenity moved onto the floor as the orchestra began to play, waltzing together comfortably. The other newlyweds were to follow them for this first dance as husband and wife, while the Terran Court and all the visiting planetary Royalty watched and smiled their approval.

Malachite suppressed a sigh and turned to Mina. He held out a gloved hand. "Princess?"

She met his eyes, trying to tamp down the hope that persisted in rising, and placed her hand in his. "General."

Malachite swept her out onto the floor easily enough, but he seemed no more at ease dancing with her now then he had six months before. Mina thought the whole thing exceedingly frustrating. He kept her at arms' length and his gaze focused somewhere beyond her, making normal eye contact impossible. She found herself staring at the white material of his jacket for the duration of the dance because she wasn't tall enough to see over his shoulder.

All in all, it was extremely frustrating.

_She's so quiet, _Malachite mused, risking a glance down at her after a moment. He had quite expected his new wife to be talking his ear off by now, filling the void of his silence with inane chatter. _Maybe she's still in shock._ The music faded away and he dropped her hand, fully intending to leave, but he was startled by the way she seemed to have anticipated his rejection.

Mina turned away at the end of the song, head high and a smile on her lips. She sent a casual glance around the ballroom and her eyes came to rest on Serenity and Endymion, who were laughing and whispering to each other. Her smile softened. It was truly wonderful to see the Princess so happy. She looked towards the front of the ballroom, where her mother sat with the other royalty, unaware of the wistful glimmer that flashed through her eyes.

Malachite caught her expression and his insides began to churn guiltily. He felt a burst of anger towards himself. When the first strains of the next song floated through the air, he took Mina's hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor again, ignoring the fleeting look of surprise she gave him. She had only expected one dance—perhaps a second would allay the guilt he felt for refusing to play the dedicated husband on this their wedding night.

When the dance ended, he led her to the edge of the ballroom floor and said stiffly, "Would you care for a glass of wine, Princess?"

She looked up at him, blue eyes meeting lavender. "I would, thank you."

He walked away, leaving her there to watch the couples dipping and swirling gracefully on the polished stone floor. Mina could feel the love in the ballroom; she could all but see its tendrils curling about everyone. At that moment, she felt so old, much older than a girl of nineteen had any right to feel.

"Excuse me, Princess Mina?" a male voice broke into her thoughts.

Mina turned. Behind her stood a Terran noble wearing a faintly hopeful expression. He bowed. "May I have the honor of this dance?"

Mina smiled warmly. "Thank you, sir, but I'm waiting for my husband." The word felt strange coming off of her tongue, but she forced it out anyway. "He should be back shortly. But I do thank you."

Malachite, returning from the other side, saw the noble approach his wife and stiffened. He saw her warm smile, and the faintest stirrings of jealousy accosted him. She had not smiled so at him. Not that he wanted her to, of course, he swiftly reminded himself. By then he had come close enough to hear her words and to watch the noble murmur an apology and disappear from sight.

Mina stood silently after the man's departure, scanning the crowd discreetly for her silver-haired husband. Whether she liked him or not, he was the only person in her immediate vicinity who was familiar in any way, shape, or form.

Malachite watched her for a moment, the goblets he held forgotten momentarily as he tried to figure out her behavior. She had refused to dance because he was coming back and he knew how much she loved to dance. Was she merely following some royal protocol? Did she for some reason not want to dance with that young man? Or did she sincerely mean to wait for him?

He came up beside her and handed her one of the goblets. "Princess." He was slightly taken aback by the way her eyes brightened when she saw him.

"Thank you." Mina accepted it and sipped gratefully.

"May I have this dance, Princess Mina?"

She turned to find King Edward behind her and quickly dropped a curtsey.

The King glanced at Malachite. "I'm going to steal your wife away for a moment," he said with a smile. "But I'll bring her back. I promise." Malachite inclined his head and they disappeared into the swirling maelstrom.

The General stared after them with folded arms, his wine quite forgotten. He could see the two of them dipping in and out and he watched as Mina seemed to come to life. She laughed and chatted with the King, performing all of the intricate steps with inherent grace.

King Edward gallantly returned Mina at the end of the dance and it was an awkward moment for the two of them. Mina was standing less than four feet from Malachite, yet it seemed as though an unfathomable chasm separated them. Malachite made no move towards her of any kind, and after a moment, the throng of eager young Terran nobles descended on Mina, each politely begging a dance.

Malachite's eyes met hers through the crowd, and then he turned away, vanishing from her sight. It did not surprise him in the least that other men wished to dance with her; in truth, he found it something of a relief. If she were otherwise occupied, he would not be expected to keep her entertained.

His deliberate snub rankled and Mina lifted her chin. She had been attempting to present to the universe a calm, if not deliriously happy, demeanor, but apparently her new husband had no such desire to protect his privacy. _Fine,_ she though defiantly. _If he won't stay here to keep some of these men off me, it must mean he won't mind if I dance the night away. He doesn't seem to care._

She gave a brilliant smile to the fellow lucky enough to have reached her first and allowed him to sweep her into a fast-paced waltz. She had no lack of partners after that and flitted gaily from one to the next the rest of the evening.

—- ——- ——- —

Queen Athena, who was seated beside Queen Selenity, watched the dancers curiously. She was pleased with the love that four of the newly wedded couples radiated, and could clearly see the intermingled auras that bespoke of soul mates, but she had difficulty locating her daughter. When she found her, she saw how Mina blithely changed partners every dance and frowned. Where was Mina's husband? Surely he would at least be there to keep an eye on his prize.

"Selenity," she said in a low voice, leaning towards the Moon Queen ever so slightly, "Do you see my daughter's husband anywhere?"

Selenity peered around. "I don't see General Malachite," she said finally. "I'm sure he's here though."

Athena schooled her face into a neutral expression, not wanting to let the worry she felt show. If Mina and her husband weren't even dancing with each other on their wedding night, things must be worse than she had thought. It did however, give her an interesting look into Malachite's character, though for good or ill she could not yet say.

—- ——- ——- —

By well past midnight, Mina had had enough. She was tired of dancing, especially since the one person she would have preferred be her partner could not be found.

Once, over the course of the evening, she had thought she caught a glimpse of Malachite and hastily excused herself from the knot of men surrounding her. At least she knew Malachite, and by this time the fact that he would not be inclined to dance with her was a blessing. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found when she reached the spot where he had stood. Exasperated, she had allowed herself to be led back onto the ballroom floor for another hour.

Now, she steadfastly refused all offers to dance and sat down gratefully, fanning her face. She needed to rest a moment. A servant brought her a goblet of wine and she sipped it slowly, still searching among the throng of people for her husband. The moment stretched into a half-hour, and the half-hour into an hour.

_He's not coming back for me,_ she thought tiredly. _I was an idiot to wait this long thinking he would_. She rose to her feet. Clearly, Malachite was not going to make any attempts to woo her. Slipping out of the ballroom was difficult, given her popularity, but she managed, pointing a few suitable people towards each other in the process.

Once out in the deserted corridor, she hesitated. Perhaps it would be best to head back to the chambers she had been given for the past few days. She did not particularly want to go wandering about searching for Malachite—it was a situation that could easily be misconstrued. Mina was only too well aware of the devastation rumor mills could wreak.

Mina made her way down the corridors slowly, a fairy-like creature drifting through the palace in her wedding dress. Faint strains of music and laughter followed her. When she reached her room, she pushed the door open carelessly and stepped over the threshold, where she stopped short.

Dimly lit by the silver moonlight streaming through the window, she could see that the room had been emptied of all her personal belongings. She held back a sigh. Ah, well, it wasn't like she really needed those things anyway. Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she said softly to the empty room, "I wonder if anyone will notice if I sleep in here tonight."

"They'll notice," a deep voice said from behind her.

Startled, Mina spun around.

Malachite stood in the doorway, his posture stiff and uninviting. "Had enough dancing?" he asked dryly. He had seen Mina leave the ballroom and followed her out of curiosity and an unwilling sense of propriety.

"Yes," Mina snapped, her irritation at being left alone on the dance floor and at the ease with which he had crept up on her bleeding through the light tone of her voice.

He raised his eyebrow slightly at her tone. "Follow me, Princess." He turned and waited for her to join him before starting off. He led her through a number of halls and corridors and up a flight of stairs until they reached the south wing of the palace, where the noise from the ballroom were inaudible. It was dark; the way lit only by torches mounted on the wall at regular intervals.

Mina was tired, but not too tired to realize that this was the part of the day she had dreaded the most. With each step she took closer to her new living quarters, her heart thumped painfully, beating so loudly she was afraid he would hear it. Despite herself, an icy trickle of fear spiked through her. Her wedding night was supposed to be special…not…not… She swallowed, her mouth dry. Surely he wouldn't expect… She cut her train of thought off before it could progress any further.

As they continued on in silence, she regained control of herself. _Whatever Malachite's opinions of me and women in general seem to be, he's a gentleman. He wouldn't do that to me._ She darted a glance at his stern profile. _Somehow…I **know** he wouldn't do that._

"Here we are," Malachite announced—the first words he'd spoken since they left the guest quarters on the other side of the palace. He opened a heavy wooden door which protested noisily and motioned for her to enter. She noted that the door was located to one side of a simple stone staircase leading up to the third floor of the palace.

"Thank you." The words came automatically as Mina regally brushed past him into the room. She recognized it immediately as a soldier's room. Sparse, clean, tidy, but not a room that looked really lived in; everything from the desk to the narrow bed in the corner was precisely as it should be. Her heart jumped into her throat at the sound of the door closing loudly behind them. There was finality in every squeak.

"Your belongings are in here." He stepped around her and opened another door. Mina followed him into a room beyond, one tastefully decorated, with many familiar objects scattered about. "I—I hope you find it suitable," Malachite said gruffly. He watched as she looked around and found himself hoping that it would meet her approval, before swiftly reminding himself he merely wanted to prevent any nagging complaints.

Mina turned to look straight at him. The presence of two beds could only mean that he did not intend them to share one and the knot her insides had twisted themselves into loosened. "Thank you," she said simply.

He inclined his head, and then looked at her appraisingly, the silence stretching out between them. Mina's heart began to pound again and her eyes briefly betrayed her before she could school her face into an expression of cool passivity.

Finally, he said, "Good night, Princess," and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over her, Mina surveyed the room again. It looked quite comfortable. _He did think ahead,_ she mused. Then another thought assailed her. _This must have been his room and the other his study. Why did he do this? Because he didn't want to share a room with me?_ Some of her anger at him for deserting her dissipated.

Blinking sleepily, she crossed to her armoire and withdrew a lacy nightgown. Ordinarily, her maid would have been with her to take care of things but she supposed they all had the night off. It completely slipped her mind that there should have been a grand sendoff to complete the wedding festivities.

She had removed her veil, kicked off her shoes, and started on the dress when she realized that there was no way she could get out of it by herself. The tiny, very numerous buttons down the back were proving impossible to reach, much less undo. After spending several minutes contorting her body into various uncomfortable positions, she gave it up as a bad job and quelled a sudden onslaught of panic.

_Oh, wonderful. I'm going to have to ask him for help._ Mina took a deep, steadying breath. _You're the Senshi of Venus. Show some courage._ She moved to the door.

—- ——- ——- —

After leaving Mina in her room, Malachite stood at his desk for a few moments, head bowed, with his hands braced on its smooth wooden surface. He hadn't expected to see fear lurking behind his new wife's blue eyes. If anything, he'd been expecting to have to fight off her advances. The thought that she might be frightened—whether of him or the situation, he wasn't sure—never even occurred to him.

His mouth twisted into a bitter scowl. He hadn't done anything in particularly to warrant fear, had he? True, he had made no pretenses as to where his feelings lay on the subject of their marriage, but he had not laid as much as a finger on her—and he hadn't planned to do so, though they both knew he had every right to insist on the consummation of their marriage. He strongly suspected that was the reason a look of fear had flashed through her eyes. She didn't understand that he wasn't about to spend his wedding night with a woman-child who was both unwilling and afraid, whatever nebulous thoughts their earlier kiss had placed in his head.

Malachite stood and removed his jacket, throwing it carelessly to the side. It was just as well they had avoided the public—and highly embarrassing—ritual that was to have ended their day. Being escorted to their chambers for their wedding night by the entire palace and enduring the obligatory jibes and comments was not an experience he wished to undergo.

Let the rest of the castle think what they liked—he didn't care.

He was in the middle of unbuttoning his shirt when he heard Mina's door open slowly. _What is she doing?_

"Malachite?" Her voice was hesitant, almost...embarrassed?

"Yes?" He looked over his shoulder at the door. Mina's head poked out, and even though the room was dimly lit, he could have sworn she was blushing profusely.

"Would you mind…" she swallowed. "Would you mind helping me undo the buttons on this dress? Please?"

His eyes darkened to gray and narrowed disapprovingly. _I thought better of her. _His earlier assessment couldn't have been wrong, could it? Or was she more skilled at manipulation than he had thought possible?

Mina sensed his hostility and rushed on. "My maid helped me into it and I can't get it off by myself. There are too many buttons and I-I can't reach them."

"Really?" He didn't quite believe her.

Mina was tired and the cold suspicion she heard in his voice put her on the defensive. "Yes!" she snapped. "I'm not attempting to seduce you! I simply can't get out of it by myself! If you won't help me, I'll just have to wear it until tomorrow!" With that, she slammed the door and leaned up against it wearily, fighting the urge to cry. Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't this all be a horrible misunderstanding or a nightmare she was sure to wake from at any moment?

Malachite was momentarily stunned by her outburst. There was no mistaking the raw sincerity in her words. Feeling a little guilty, he crossed to the door. "Come out, Princess. I'll help you."

"Please stop calling me that." Mina's voice was slightly muffled. "I have a name. You're my husband—you're welcome to use it."

"Fine! Mina." Irritation slid into his voice at the reminder of their marriage. The door opened and Mina appeared, barefoot, he realized, but still clad in the flowing white dress. "Turn around," he said brusquely. She did so, and he stared for a few seconds at the golden hair streaming down her back. He carefully brushed it aside, the silky strands slipping easily through his calloused fingers and began to work on the buttons. "Which ones could you not reach?" He couldn't remember ever being in a situation like this.

"I had trouble with all of them, but I couldn't even touch the ones in the middle." Mina's voice was oddly subdued.

Malachite fiddled with the buttons for a few moments. Some of them cooperated, but most proved to be stubborn. They evaded his fingertips and steadfastly refused to leave their holes.

Mina stood very still. It was a strange experience having a man help her with her clothes—especially when that man was Malachite. The brush of his fingers against her back sent a shiver running through her and her heart began to thump erratically again.

After a few more minutes, he let out an exasperated sound. "Why are there so many of these on here?" It seemed to him that a logical person would have made the gown easier for a woman's husband to take off. He had sense enough to keep that thought to himself, however. He had never understood women's fashions and he doubted he ever would.

Mina started to laugh. She couldn't help it; the situation at this point was well past ridiculous. "I don't know," she managed to say, in between peals of laughter. "I've wondered that myself several times today." She tried to catch her breath. "I decided the person who designed this dress ought to be strung up by his toes."

Malachite stared at her shaking back in shock for a moment, barely noticing that the tension had drained from the room. Then a wry smile tugged at his lips. It did seem like a reasonable idea. He worked the last few buttons loose. "I'm finished." He ignored the fact that the dress was now hanging loosely on her shoulders, revealing more of her creamy skin and the lacy edge of some piece of underclothing.

Mina took a deep, steadying breath as he removed his fingers and took a step forwards, away from him. "Thank you." She looked up at him over her shoulder and saw the hint of a smile. "I'm quite serious, you know," she said saucily, encouraged by his almost smile. "The designer of this dress ought to be strung up." She picked up her skirts, careful not to dislodge the dress where it clung to her shoulders, and moved to her door. "Good night." She disappeared inside and missed Malachite shaking his head ruefully.

Mina gently closed her door and leaned up against it, feeling as if she had escaped from the brink. Of what, she wasn't entirely sure, but it was definitely something. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would. Maybe. _Still,_ she reflected, as she climbed into her new bed a few moments later, _it was rather smart of him to have my room open into his. He'll know if I leave, or if someone came in, they'd have to get through him first._

If Malachite had been any other man, she probably would have felt he was keeping her a prisoner. Of course, if he had been any other man, she also wouldn't be alone right now. As it was, she had a strange feeling that, while he obviously didn't like her, he was doing his best to protect her. She understood that and found she really didn't mind. On a strange world, especially a world on which she was forbidden to use her Senshi power unless in a dire emergency, it was nice to know that at least she could sleep at night without fear of being attacked by unscrupulous characters.

Despite her unfamiliar surroundings and the turmoil still roiling inside her, Mina drifted off to sleep shortly after her head touched the pillow.

—- ——- ——- —

The next morning, Mina awoke to warm sunlight on her face and the sound of birds chirping. She stiffened as the events of the previous day washed over her, but relaxed when she remembered where she was and that, more importantly, she was alone. She lay in bed for a few moments, listening to the sweet music of the birds, and taking in the details of her new chambers.

Her eyes rested on her armoire and she stared at it thoughtfully. _I don't think Giselle is even going to check on me to see if I am awake this early. After all, the entire palace probably thinks…_ She trailed off, her cheeks flushing bright red. Fanning her flaming face with one hand, Mina got up and selected a relatively simple dress that would require neither a maid's assistance to put on or, she blushed again, Malachite's .

When at last she considered herself presentable, Mina cast one last look in the mirror and crossed to the door separating her room from Malachite's. She froze, her hand on the door knob. This was certainly going to be an awkward situation. How best to handle it?

Mina's trepidation disappeared and she relaxed, a bright smile creeping over her face. Best to be herself and not over-think the situation. Nothing of importance had changed between them.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite was seated at his desk by the window, staring out thoughtfully. He turned when he heard a knock on the door separating his room from Mina's. "Enter."

"Good morning," Mina said cheerfully, breezing in as if she had lived in these rooms her entire life. She crossed to his window and poked her head out.

"Good morning," he replied after a moment, giving her an odd look. He laid down the pen he had been holding. "I didn't expect you up until much later." He hadn't quite expected her to be in such buoyant spirits either…but, he reminded himself, this was Mina. He had never even come close to figuring her out.

She shrugged and withdrew her head from the window. "I'm usually an early riser." She prowled around the room studying everything with interest.

Malachite studied her in silence. This was an interesting revelation. He had thought she would sleep longer, given the princesses' habitual lateness in the mornings during their stay on the Moon. Pushing aside his puzzlement at the inaccuracy of his assessment of her, he searched for something to say. "Are you hungry? I'll escort you to the Great Hall."

Mina gave him a bright smile. "Thank you."

They passed out of their chambers into the quiet corridor beyond and Mina's loquaciousness returned. As they walked along, she asked questions about everything and Malachite found himself obliged to answer. Mina absorbed everything, eager to learn things from his perspective. Whether he realized it or not, his position as a General under Endymion colored every word he said and Mina was intuitive enough to pick up on it. After all, what good was Serenity's head of security if she didn't know everything there was to know about their new home?

"...and why are the doors to that corridor so heavily reinforced?"

Resisted the urge to close his eyes at the barrage of questions, Malachite glanced over in the direction she indicated. "Those are to bar entry to the rest of the palace should the front portcullis ever be breached."

"Oh."

It suddenly struck Malachite that Mina was almost…getting the lay of the land…and checking security measures. He stole a sideways glance at her. She was looking intently at the halls and passageways they were traveling through and he fancied he saw a keen, calculated look pass over her face. The next instant it was gone, but he was forcibly reminded of the look Jadeite often wore when memorizing maps. He glanced at her again. Of course she would need to learn her way around, but her interest in knowing why things were the way they were was rather intriguing.

He caught himself contemplating whether or not to ask her if she had noticed anything unusual about the corridor they were just leaving and mentally brought himself up short. He glanced down. Somewhere along the way, Mina had tucked her arm through his. For a few minutes, everything had seemed quite natural, but danger bells began going off in his head. This wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to waltz into his life and immediately feel at ease.

Malachite abruptly pulled away from her. "I would greatly appreciate it if you would not do that," he ground out.

Mina looked faintly surprised. Hadn't they been getting on fairly well? She shrugged, dropped his arm, and stepped a few paces away from him. "As you wish."

Malachite glanced down the hall to make sure it was empty. He had to lay everything out in the open between them; he had to show her exactly where they both stood. He would have liked to wait until later, but he obviously couldn't delay this any longer. "I'll be honest with you, Princess Mina," he said in evenly, "Our marriage is a duty. You wouldn't be here if I'd had a choice. I didn't want a wife and I don't need one. Leave me alone."

Mina was not surprised by his words, though the bitter undertone in them reminded her again just how much he disliked her. Her blue eyes hardened as she looked up at him. "Ah, yes. Duty," she echoed sarcastically. "Since we appear to be getting things settled, I might as well tell you that I didn't want to marry you either. It was my duty to marry you whether I liked it or wanted to or not. So you're not the only one who's been trapped in this because of _duty_, General."

His lavender eyes flashed grey. "I wouldn't have thought you had any respect for duty."

"That's because you don't know me very well, General," she retorted. "Love is a very important part of Venusian culture and my sense of duty is the only reason I entered a life-partnership with you."

He regarded her with narrowed eyes. "Is that a fact? I'll tell you what I've gathered so far. You are a vapid creature who is seldom serious and not satisfied unless you're flirting with every male in your immediate vicinity." While he had been happy to have her off his hands the night before, her obvious pleasure and ease at going from dance partner to dance partner still rubbed him a little raw.

They stared at each other, the air around them all but crackling from the tension they radiated. Malachite's words struck Mina like a physical blow and her eyes betrayed the pain he had caused her for a split second before it was hidden behind her mask. Her hurt quickly vanished in the face of rising anger. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of reducing her to tears.

"Oh, I see. Well, if I'm a vapid and seldom serious flirt, you are a coldhearted, arrogant man who can't relax. Ever. I don't see how you enjoy life at all—you're perpetually gloomy and stiff!"

Malachite gave her a cool, appraising look, faintly taken aback by this new facet of her character. Other than the night before, he had never seen her angry. "Are you finished?"

"Yes. For the moment." Mina suddenly realized she could be in trouble for being so blunt and the fire faded from her eyes.

He raised one eyebrow. "Really."

She met his icy gaze squarely. "Really. And since I'm such a vapid, flirtatious, seldom serious creature, it shouldn't bother you in the least if I do flirt with other men, should it? After all, that's just how I appear to be." She whirled and stalked off down the hall, but he caught her wrist.

Malachite's face darkened at her words and he lunged to stop her before she could leave. His fingers tightened around her wrist as he growled, "Whether I like it or not, you _are_ my wife and must therefore maintain some propriety. You will not associate with other men unless properly chaperoned." _I won't be the palace laughingstock after all this._

"You're hurting me," Mina said pointedly. He let go and she resisted the urge to hold her wrist close. "Whatever your opinion of me, General. I will do my duty. You needn't worry about me being indiscreet. I've resigned myself to a life of solitude." Her chin rose as she straightened to her full height. "I can find my way from here." She pivoted on her heel and marched down the corridor.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite watched her go, feeling a twinge of pride at her spirit intermix with the guilt suddenly coursing through his system. _I said too much._ He closed his eyes briefly, one hand tightening into a fist. Mina had done what no other woman had ever managed to accomplish; she had slipped beneath his formidable defenses and made him lose control of his temper.

His conscience chose that moment to remind him of the look on her face at his words. The anger boiling inside him simply drained away. There was no denying he had hurt her before her temper rose. He hadn't meant to hurt her; he was simply scrambling to find a way to keep distance between them.

Already he could see that the mayhem she brought to his life was something to which he could easily adjust. He knew, deep down, that they could at least be grudging companions, if never lovers, and ran a hand through his hair distractedly. _Things were so simple before she came into my life._

The fact that she had something of a temper and her strange curiosity about the palace's layout and defense merely added layers to her already mystifying personality. _I've made her hate me._ It couldn't be any other way. Neither of them liked each other and his cold, cutting words had hardly been calculated to lower the wall that was fast being erected between them.

_I've resigned myself to a life of solitude._

He snorted. Lofty words. How did she think _he_ felt?

—- ——- ——- —

Free from Malachite's cold eyes, Mina struggled to keep back tears as she wound her way through the corridors and halls to the Great Hall. She had known he did not think highly of her, but the true depths of his opinion hurt bitterly. His biting words kept running through her mind…._vapid creature…seldom serious…not satisfied unless you're flirting with every male in your immediate vicinity…_

_I'm not like that! Why do I even care what he thinks of me?_ She took a deep breath and nodded to a passing servant who immediately dipped a curtsey. She cared because he was her husband…and because they would be spending the rest of their lives together whether they liked it or not. Of course, she hadn't exactly been polite herself. _I can't believe I said that to him. You really blew it, Mina. _She couldn't think of a worse way to start the first day of her married life.

Despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner somewhere and sob—although she would have taken a chance at a training simulation as well—Mina's eyes were dry and a smile was on her lips as she entered the Great Hall. If nothing else, being both a princess and a Senshi taught one how to conceal little things like emotions.

The Terran King and Queen were already there, breaking their fast with Selenity, Luna, and the rest of the Lunarian party.

"Good morning, Princess Mina," King Edward called out in a jovial voice. "Did you sleep well?" He ignored the surreptitious kick his wife gave him beneath the table. Mina and Malachite's early disappearance from the ballroom had been noticed and joked about.

Mina smiled, mask fully in place. "I had a lovely evening," she said brightly, slipping into a seat.

—- ——- ——- —

Queen Selenity, Luna, her advisors, and the few servants who did not wish to remain on Earth with their mistress departed that afternoon. The palace was still celebrating, but Selenity felt it was time to return home.

Shortly afterwards, the Princesses managed to slip away for a while and gathered in the garden for a quiet tête-à-tête. They wandered about admiring the flowers and discussing things about Earth, all the while dancing around the real subject.

Eventually, Rei, tired of pretending, explained with a tell-tale blush on her face that she and Jadeite had discovered they shared a telepathic bond. It wasn't that rare on Mars, but she had been unsure if it could happen between a Martian and a Terran.

Mina bent over a bush of golden roses, half-listening to the hesitant chatter that had broken out after this revelation. It was hard not being able to talk with her friends about the joy they were experiencing. Their husbands loved them. Hers did not. _But I don't love him either._ It left them both in a cucumber, that was for sure. She was broken out of her reverie by Lita's voice. "Hmm?"

The brunette's green eyes twinkled as she repeated herself. "How was your evening last night?"

"Oh." Mina straightened and plopped down on the grass beside the others. How best to go about explaining things? She could be honest with them—at least, she hoped she could. Having to convince them she and Malachite loved each other was more than she felt herself capable of doing. "It was fine, I suppose. Malachite fixed a very nice room up for me and moved into the study."

"What?"

"Mina!"

"You're not—"

Mina waved her hand absently. "No, we're not sharing a room, if that's what you mean. He doesn't love me, and I don't love him. Like I said, I'm staying in a room off of his. Very nice. I'll have to show it to you later." She was aware of the fact that the girls were staring at her and gazed up at the fluffy white clouds flitting across the blue sky, trying to look unconcerned.

"Oh, Mina," Ami said softly. "I'm so sorry. All this time I thought you were in love just like we are." She twisted her hands together unhappily. How could they have missed something like this?

"It's all right, Ami," Mina said with a cheerful wink. "Doesn't bother me a bit." _Now, if I can just keep Rei from sensing how I really feel, things will be going fine._ She stretched lazily. "I'm fine, really."

Lita was in shock. After a moment, she recovered enough to demand, "But, Mina, what about all your dreams of finding true love? Happiness? Your knight in shining armor?" The color had faded from her face and her eyes were filled with disbelief.

Mina laughed merrily. "Don't you see? That's all they were, Lita. Dreams. Silly little dreams when I was too naive to know better."

"And you know better now?" Rei asked darkly, eying the blonde with suspicion. This was not the Mina they knew and loved. This Mina, despite her cheerful attitude, was cynical and edging towards bitter. _How did she hide this from us?_

Mina met Rei's eyes, willing them to remain open and not give away the pain behind them. "Yes," she said airily. "The reality of life is that sometimes politics and love don't mix and not everyone gets a happy ending in life."

Serenity had been staring at Mina, her eyes lowly filling with tears. She had been so wrapped up in Endymion…she had thought the others were equally happy. To discover Mina was in fact miserable was a huge blow. _It's all my fault._ _Mina is here, married to someone who doesn't love her so I can be protected. _She shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. That couldn't be true. Malachite couldn't be completely unaffected by her. He just couldn't be. She burst out, "Oh, Mina, don't give up on him!"

Mina saw the tears and hastened to her Princess's side. "Serenity, don't cry," she said earnestly. She wrapped an arm around Serenity's shoulders. "It's all right. It's not your fault in any way so don't even think it is," she added sternly. "I've been thinking about everything for a while now and I've finally figured out what's wrong with me."

_I wasn't meant to have a soul mate._ The thought resonated inside her and something clicked into place. It explained everything. It explained why she had never settled upon one man during her time on the Moon, when truth be told, she had had ample time to find a husband. More importantly, it explained why she and Malachite had not meshed from the beginning, despite her reluctant attraction to him. He wasn't her soul mate.

She didn't have one.

Mina met Serenity's watery eyes and decided to soften the truth. There was no sense in causing the Princess any more distress. "Malachite isn't my soul mate," she said gently. "You have one—I've seen the auras surrounding you and Endymion. And you and the Generals," she added, looking around at the others. "But that's not what Fate has in store for me."

Serenity shook her head, tears continuing to slip down her cheeks. "That can't be true," she insisted.

Rei, her eyes narrowed in disbelief, said crisply, "I think you're wrong, Mina."

Mina smiled gently and shook her head before turning her attention to Serenity. "Please don't cry. What is Endymion going to think when you come in with your eyes all swollen and your nose red?"

Serenity's tears stopped immediately at the mention of her nose and she let out a choked laugh.

"How can you be so cheerful about all this?" Lita demanded angrily. "Your whole life you've talked and dreamed about finding true love and now you're giving up on it?"

Mina flipped her golden hair behind her shoulders with an air of nonchalance. "I suppose I've grown up a little bit, Lita. Look, please don't worry about me. I'll be fine, I promise." She smiled at them encouragingly and then switched subjects. "How late were you up dancing last night?"

Serenity answered hesitantly, still eying Mina with a puzzled, woebegone look on her face, and gradually the conversation moved on in other directions. Rei doubted the story Mina had spun for them, but the Venusian was so happy and cheerful the rest of the day that she had to wonder if Mina was actually serious.

—- ——- ——- —

That night at dinner, Malachite watched his wife covertly. She was cheerful and playful but avoided meeting his eyes. He noticed that the other princesses were watching her on the sly as well and wondered why. Did they know how matters lay between the two of them? Given that no cold glares were directed his way, he doubted Mina had told them what had happened that morning.

It was another quirk in her personality.

He had previously pegged her as the kind to tell everything she knew, and yet…he frowned slightly at his roast potatoes. No word of her chat with Zoicite ever found its way anywhere in the Moon Palace, and Zoicite himself had never mentioned it. Perhaps she truly was discreet.

After the meal was over and the usual evening chatter had slowed, with people beginning to disperse for the night, Mina wound her way back to her new quarters. To her surprise, Malachite was already there, seated at his desk. He glanced up at her with an unreadable expression on his face as she breezed into the room.

"Good night, Malachite," she said lightly, crossing to her door. Her hand was on the knob when he spoke.

"Princess."

She turned slowly and faced him, to find he had risen from his chair and was standing stiffly beside his desk. "Yes, General?" Her voice was perfectly calm.

Malachite surveyed her for a few seconds. He had been thinking about her words that morning. They rankled, but he was honest enough to admit there was more than a kernel of truth in them. "I spoke to you harshly this morning."

Her face impassive, Mina nodded. "And you meant every word." She paused, and then added, "So did I." She reached behind her for the doorknob and twisted it. "Goodnight, General."

She was gone before Malachite could respond.

He stood there staring at the door for a long time. He had been about to apologize but she had thrown him off-kilter again. He sank down heavily at his desk, mind spinning. It was true—he _had_ meant what he had said earlier, though he found himself regretting it.

Malachite glanced back at the door. He thought she was rather angry, though it was difficult to tell. Either Mina was ignoring his words, or she was a better actress than he had given her credit. Given the number of times she had managed to surprise him in the past few days, he was willing to believe he had misjudged her.

—- ——- ——- —

Once in the privacy of her room, however, Mina undressed quickly and climbed into bed before the sobs she felt coming overtook her. She muffled her face in her pillow and cried. She had managed to convince her friends she was at least content with her loveless life, but she couldn't fool herself.

Her dreams were shattered.

Her hope was gone.

Mina, ever hopeful where others' love lives were concerned, held no such hope for herself. She had recognized Malachite was leading up to an apology and cut him off before he could say anything. She didn't believe the apology was anything other than an attempt to ease his conscience. They were both trapped and she did not yet know how she was going to handle the situation.

_It's silly to even think he'll ever see me the way I've always wanted my husband to see me,_ she thought numbly. Her tears streamed unceasingly, punctuated by an occasional sob. A dim corner of her mind hoped Malachite wouldn't be able to hear her—she didn't want him to have a reason to think even less of her.

When her tears subsided, Mina drifted off into a heavy, dreamless sleep.

—- ——- ——- —

The next few days passed by quickly. Mina, Serenity, and the others were all adjusting to their new home and determining where their places were in the grand scheme of things. Mina was everywhere, poking into every corner, getting to know the chamber maids, and learning the guards' names. She was almost insanely happy, overwhelmingly cheerful, and otherwise completely her bubbly self.

Every night, however, she cried herself to sleep. She could convince herself that things were fine during the day, but at night…everything she hid came back to haunt her. She felt like an idiot for crying her heart out, but it eased her pain and wore her out to the point she could sleep.

Serenity eventually came to the conclusion that Mina must truly be all right. She could never catch her in anything but a happy mood and neither could Ami or Lita. Rei, on the other hand, could sense the despair lurking in her aura. But as Mina never admitted anything and refused to discuss her relationship—or lack thereof—with Malachite any further, Rei could do nothing besides watch and hope the two of them would come to their senses. There was nothing they could do about the fact that they were married, and sooner or later they would have to come to some sort of agreement.

Mina found Serenity and Endymion's one month anniversary particularly trying. The Queen planned a picnic luncheon to celebrate, and though she insisted on all of the Generals being in attendance, the distance between Mina and Malachite only served to remind the Venusian princess how alone she was.

Every smile, every loving touch, or lingering brush of fingers reminded her forcibly she would never have what her friends shared with their husbands. She managed to keep her façade in place throughout the day, only to have it fall apart the moment she was safely in her own room.

Sobbing, Mina sank down onto her bed, one hand pressed over her mouth. She curled up with a pillow and cried for a long time. She hated herself for allowing the tears, hated herself for indulging in such a pity party, but she couldn't stop. The situation was out of her control and she couldn't hold the tears inside.

In the next room, Malachite, whose day had been as uncomfortable as Mina's, was jerked back to awareness by a soft, choking sound. He looked blearily around the room, but there was no one there. Shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, he listened intently. The sound appeared to have come from Mina's room.

There it was again.

Straining his ears further, it occurred to him that it almost sounded like she was…crying? He blinked. _Mina? Crying?_ He'd never seen her shed so much as a tear before.

Distinctly puzzled, Malachite slid out of his bed and stepped barefoot over to her door. He opened it a little, resisting the urge to clear his throat.

"Mina? Are you all right?"

Huddled in a pile of pillows and twisted covers, a jolt of fear ran through Mina and she froze. She'd been too loud. "I'm fine," she said softly, praying he wouldn't notice the difference in her voice.

"Are you sure?" He was not convinced.

"Yes."

"I thought I heard someone crying," he said bluntly.

"I'm fine." _Please leave me alone,_ she begged silently.

"Are you crying?"

"Why would it matter?"

"I want to know. Are you crying?"

Mina debated a moment. Which would be easier…telling him the truth or keeping up a tiring exchange of words until he either finally wore her down or gave up? If he gave up at all? "Yes," she said finally, in a barely audible voice.

Malachite's brow furrowed as he tried to sort out possible reasons for her tears "Why?"

"I'm homesick." It was true, in a way. She _was_ homesick. Homesick for the way her life had been before _he_ had arrived on the scene.

Malachite was silent a moment. "I'm sorry," he said finally. "I thought you were starting to settle in." His deep voice was tinged with concern.

Mina shrugged, not caring that he couldn't see the motion in the dark. "I am. I like Earth. I just sometimes wish—" she stopped herself. "Never mind. I apologize for disturbing you."

Malachite hesitated. On the one hand, he wanted to demand the real reason she was distressed, and on the other…he wasn't sure he wanted to know. "Good night then." He shut the door and went back to bed. What else was there to say?

Once safely assured he was no longer at the door, Mina curled up into a ball and began to cry anew. This time, her tears were silent. They soaked her pillows but she made not a sound.

In the next room, Malachite closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Mina was going to be the death of him yet, he was sure. After living with her for a month he was no closer to figuring her out than he had been before. How one woman could be confusing was completely beyond him.

His eyes snapped open and he stared up at the ceiling. It bothered him that she was crying and he suddenly felt guilty for not considering that she could be homesick. He wondered how many nights she had cried and he never knew. Her tears made him uncomfortable, but they also stirred an urge in him to wrap his arms around her and hold her until she ceased.

Malachite grimaced. He couldn't do that, for a number of reasons. Chief among them was the fact that there was no telling how she would react if he did go in and attempt to comfort her. He rolled over onto his side. She would probably think he had lost his mind and...he didn't think he could bear to see a trace of fear in her eyes again. Once had been quite enough.

He lay awake for a long time, thinking as sleep evaded him. Finally, he decided he would check on her to make sure she wasn't still sobbing. It was the only way his conscience would let him get any sleep.

Feeling a trifle self-conscious, Malachite pressed his ear up against the door and listened. When he heard nothing, he cautiously opened the door and slipped inside. He padded over to the bed and leaned over his wife's still form.

His breath caught in his throat.

Mina lay on her side, curled up into a ball in a patch of moonlight that streamed through the windows. Her golden hair was spread around her and some of the strands obscured her face. He carefully smoothed the wayward hair back behind her ear. She didn't stir.

A few tears, still wet, lay on her cheek, glistening in the pale moonlight. Gently, Malachite brushed them away with the pad of his thumb. _Don't cry, Mina,_ he told her silently. _You're supposed to be so cheerful and happy that you either make everyone else that way too or you drive them mad. Don't cry._ He pulled the covers up around her a little awkwardly, took one last look, and left the room as quietly as he had entered. He went back to bed and had no trouble falling asleep, though her tearstained face, lit by moonlight, haunted his dreams.

* * *

Why is it so easy to torture characters?

Anyway, expect more Mina/Mal interaction in the next chapter.

I do have one question for y'all though. Does anybody like the chapter titles? They're a recent addition and I can't decide if I want to keep them or not.

Also, don't forget to let me know what you think. Reviews are important to my mental health. They keep the rabid plot bunnies attempting to distract me at bay.

Cheers!


	7. Part 6: Loves Me Not

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Sailor Moon—never have, never will. I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Hey, y'all! Merry Christmas!! And, yes, I've finally updated! This chapter delayed partly because it was tricky to rewrite in the first place, my beta reader was swamped for several months, and then I had to rewrite sections again. Ah, well, I love how it turned out. This was one of the weaker, bridging chapters and I think it's a lot stronger now. :smiles:

Also, I've just realized that I apparently left a key detail out of my introduction to the prologue. I've gone back and fixed it, but for those of you who were wondering, FLOD will have a different ending from canon SM. The alternate ending is one of the reasons I began writing this story in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for continuing to read to read and review!

Special thanks again go to Dejana Talis for being an amazing beta-reader.

Enjoy!

_"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17 (NIV)_

* * *

**For Love or Duty**

**Part 6:**

**...Loves Me Not **

For Mina, the next few months slipped by quietly, unmarked by anything in particular. She was aware of the rumors about her marriage to Malachite, rumors ranging from tragic to ludicrous, but she ignored them with consummate ease. Her ability to change the subject whenever a conversation dipped into her personal life was soon legendary. And as no one ever saw Mina in anything but a cheerful mood, this oddity was something the gossips puzzled over when they had nothing better to discuss.

Despite Mina's assertions that Malachite could not possibly be her soul mate, and despite her own private belief that she had none, the silver-haired General had fascinated her from the moment they met. The occasional glimpses she caught of his other side throughout their marriage so far merely tantalized her further.

She began to have a great deal of respect for him as well. All of the Generals were busy, but Malachite seemed especially so. Mina never ceased to be amazed at the responsibilities he carried on his broad shoulders. In addition to overseeing the training of guards and soldiers—which she had occasionally sneaked in to watch on more than one occasion—he waded through oral and written reports from outposts and cities all over Earth on a daily basis.

They had fallen into a routine of sorts over the months that provided very little contact between them. They arose at nearly the same time in the morning and exchanged a few polite words before going their separate ways for the day. Sometimes they breakfasted together, though Malachite usually went straight to work. They next saw each other at dinner, but his duties often prevented them from retiring for the night together. If it hadn't been for the companionship she received from Serenity and the others, there were days and weeks Mina thought she might have gone mad.

Life continued in this pattern until late one afternoon in mid summer, when, returning from the Queen's sitting room, Mina chose to take the long way back to her quarters to avoid the usual haunts of a number of the more gossipy court ladies. She was in no mood to fend off any more queries—delicate or otherwise—about how she must be enjoying married life. Her route led her through a hall set with floor-to-ceiling windows, many of which were open to facilitate a breeze. Familiar male voices drifting through from outside piqued her curiosity and she stopped. Slowly, she crept to the edge of one window, where she could see out but not be seen herself, and peeked outside.

Endymion, Jadeite, and Malachite stood on the green grass beyond the window, beneath the shady branches of an oak tree, and a general air of levity prevailed. Not wishing to eavesdrop, Mina almost turned away, but her eyes darted unconsciously to Malachite. She froze, a strange rushing noise filling her ears.

He was smiling.

Malachite was actually…smiling.

Mina felt positively weak in the knees and her heart began to thump loudly. She couldn't remember ever seeing him smile before. It was amazing. _He ought to smile more often_, she thought dazedly.

Malachite's smile was gone as quickly as it had come, but Mina had seen the way his face lit up, seen his eyes soften, and her world would never be the same. At that moment, she finally realized what her heart had been trying to tell her for weeks. _I love him._ The thought was staggering.

Trembling, Mina pressed her back up against the cool stone wall, away from the window, and closed her eyes. How could she have been so foolish as to allow him to slip into her heart? She wasn't meant to find love.

Suddenly cold, Mina wrapped her arms around herself and stared with unseeing blue eyes at the opposite wall. Malachite would never return her love. She couldn't even hope for a smile. _It's hopeless._

The sound of footsteps approaching down the hall a few minutes later recalled Mina to herself. She stepped away from the wall, straightened, and arranged a pleasant expression on her face. No one must ever know how she felt—especially not Malachite. He barely tolerated her as it was; there was no need to provide him with another source of irritation.

She watched as a servant hurried down the hall. He stopped and gave her a respectful bow before hastening on his way. Once he was gone, Mina resumed her walk, resolutely leaving Malachite behind. She was, however, unable to stop thinking about him.

A dull, aching pain began to throb in her chest. She hadn't wanted or planned to fall in love with him, but the damage had been done. Her situation had just become a thousand times worse.

He would never love her…and the knowledge crushed her inside.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite was not unaware of the various rumors concerning his relationship with the Venusian Princess swirling around the Palace. Anyone with eyes could see they weren't close, and it had led to all manner of speculation. The gossip mongers were wise enough to hold their tongues when he was within earshot, but they should have known he would eventually hear everything.

The First General found the rumors that he mistreated Mina particularly troublesome. The thought that someone in the Palace could even suggest he was capable of such behavior rankled deeply inside him. Worst of all was his conscience, which chose to remind him periodically that ignoring Mina could hurt her as badly as actually laying a hand on her.

It was early evening and he sat with his fellow Generals in Endymion's study, polishing his sword as he listened to their idle conversation. They had given the Prince their customary reports on matters in their sectors, and the topic of discussion had now shifted to other things.

"I still don't understand why you dislike Mina, Malachite," Endymion said deliberately, casting an inquisitive look at his friend. "Everyone else in the palace likes her, including my parents. She's so cheerful. And," he added with a slight smile, "I must admit she has a flair for matchmaking." He thought about the people she had brought together during the past few months. All of them had been considered hopeless and yet she had found a way to convince them to open their hearts to each other. It was, he reflected, perhaps a little ironic that no such miracle had taken place in her relationship with Malachite.

"Too cheerful," Malachite said gruffly. "And matchmaking?" He grimaced. "That's worse. She's a meddler."

"You won't give her a chance," Jadeite observed from his seat in the corner.

Malachite met his friend's sharp blue gaze head on. "She doesn't like me, Jade. Probably never will." He returned his attention to his sword. "End of story." It didn't matter his opinion of her was slowly changing. He was convinced she would have nothing to do with him.

"You haven't done much to help the situation," Nephrite said dryly, glancing up from his star charts. "The two of you could at least become friends if you put a little effort into it."

Malachite scoffed. "I doubt it." Even as he said the words, he knew they were wrong. He could become friends with Mina… if he dropped the icy façade he had used as protection for so long.

Jadeite crossed his arms behind his head and propped his boots up on a low table. "Admit it Mal," he said lazily, "You like her."

Startled, Malachite looked up again, the sword nearly dropping from his fingers. "What did you say?" he demanded in a low, icy voice.

"You like her." The blond man's voice was now perfectly matter-of-fact.

Malachite stared at his friend. "It's entirely too early for you to have been drinking. How did you reach this… astonishing conclusion?"

A smug smile flitted across Jadeite's face. _Ha, got a reaction out of him._ He shook his head slowly. "Mal, I've been watching you lately and I've noticed that you…" he paused and then continued lightly, "You can't keep your eyes off her when you're in the same room. You've only been lucky so far that she hasn't caught you."

Zoicite laid his book aside—one Ami had recommended from her own collection—and leaned forward. "You could be charming if you put any effort into it, Malachite," he said earnestly. "You could sweep her off her feet. We know you've got it in you… somewhere." He looked over at Nephrite, Endymion, and Jadeite, who nodded, before returning his attention to Malachite. "You're just too used to keeping everything bottled up. Sooner or later you've got to let go. Take a break."

"Are you analyzing me?" Malachite snapped, greatly disliking the direction this conversation had taken.

"Someone has to do it," Zoicite shot back coolly.

"Give it up," the silver-haired General advised, resuming his polishing. "It won't work on me, Zoi."

Jadeite shook his head again, this time in disbelief, and his boots hit the stone floor with a loud thud as he sat up straight in his chair. "I can't believe you're giving up on her, Mal. You're married to the girl, for goodness' sake. Don't you want to have a few years of happiness? Don't you ever get lonely?"

"Who could be lonely with her constant chatter?"

"That's not what I meant." Jadeite ran a hand through his short blond hair in frustration, searching for right way to phrase the thoughts racing through his head.

Zoicite, who usually didn't argue with Malachite, jumped back into the conversation. The First General was being deliberately obtuse. "We can all see that you're attracted to her, Malachite."

"Even Serenity has commented on it," Endymion added with a smile. "It seems Princess Mina is the only person who hasn't noticed."

"You don't realize how much you end up watching her," Zoicite continued, "and you ought to see the look on your face when you see her talking with a guard or another male." He paused for effect. "And apparently you've never noticed the way her face lights up when you walk in." He waited for a reaction.

Malachite raised an eyebrow at the usually quiet General's outburst. Mina was happy to see him? "No, I hadn't noticed," he admitted reluctantly. He didn't believe it.

"Watch her. You'll see." Zoicite's green eyes flashed.

"Zoicite, I don't think you understand. Some people are not meant to be, and there is nothing anyone can do about it." Malachite's voice was even and patient—as if he were explaining to a three year-old exactly WHY it wasn't a good idea to play with a freshly sharpened sword.

"I think you're wrong," Nephrite put in. "The stars say you two are meant to be."

Malachite just shook his head and continued polishing his sword. "Just because you four are happily married doesn't mean it works that way for everyone else," he said gruffly. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Your attitude is appalling, Malachite." Endymion's tone held a distinct note of disapproval. He and the other three looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders helplessly. What else could they do? Hit Malachite over the head with the hilt of a sword and hope it brought him to his senses? Lock the two of them in a room together until they stopped being so stubborn and admitted that they cared for each other? They would have to let the matter drop for now. It was out of their hands.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina closed the door to the corridor and leaned against it, thankful to be able to escape the excited chatter about the gala the King and Queen were planning for Endymion's birthday. She had enjoyed being a part of the lively conversation, but when talk turned to the ball that would be held in celebration, her heart had sunk all the way to her toes.

To distract herself from taking that thought path again, Mina glanced around Malachite's room. It was empty; he had not yet returned from making his rounds. She sighed, feeling his absence both a blessing and a curse. They had moved slowly towards casual conversation over the months and there were moments she felt a glimmer of hope that he might be warming up to her. There was no point in waiting for him, however. He'd think it odd.

As she made her way over to the door leading to her own room, Mina happened to glance over at his desk, where rolls of parchment lay scattered about untidily. That caught her attention. As much as he hated paperwork, Malachite never left his desk in disarray. Everything was always kept neatly organized.

Intrigued, she went over and unrolled one of the parchments. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. It was one of the finest maps she had ever seen, depicting Earth's capital city and its surrounding countryside in astonishing detail. The tiny illustrations all but pulsed with life.

Fascinated, Mina leaned over the scroll, her eyes eagerly scanning every inch. She had only been out of the Palace a few times and had been unable to see much of the city. It was wonderful to finally know what everything looked like. She traced the course of the nearest river and found it emptied into the ocean only a few days' journey from Terra. _Ami will love that,_ she thought with satisfaction.

Completely absorbed in the maps, Mina lost track of time. It was only when footsteps neared the door that she came to herself and remembered she shouldn't be here. She sprang guilty away from the desk just as the door opened and Malachite entered, carrying a sheaf of papers.

A faint look of surprise crossed his face before it was wiped away. "What were you doing?" he demanded coolly. Whatever his friends thought they saw on his wife's face when he approached, she was anything but delighted to see him now.

Mina lifted her chin and met his suspicious gaze. "I was merely looking at your maps. I wanted to see what Terra looked like." She paused and then added, "Your mapmaker rivals the ones on Mercury. They're beautiful."

Malachite stared at her. He loathed the very idea of someone going through his papers. Had she really only been looking at the maps? His eyes narrowed. There was only one way to find out. "You read maps?" he asked sharply. If she did, it was highly unusual. He doubted many of the ladies of the court could say the same.

Mina inclined her head in a nod.

"Show me."

Mina held back a sigh at his obvious disbelief and gave him a bright smile. She stepped back over to his desk and gracefully unfurled the scroll she had been examining before looking up at him expectantly.

For the next few minutes, Malachite peppered her with a variety of questions designed to thoroughly test her knowledge of maps. She answered all of them promptly and with an accuracy that surprised him greatly, though he let no sign of it show in his face or voice. _She is more intelligent than anyone gives her credit._ Her hair glinted in the lamplight, and he wondered suddenly if the silky strands were as soft as he remembered.

_No. _Giving his head a violent shake to clear it, the silver-haired man stepped away from the quiet blonde and rounded his desk. He sat down and began to sort through the sheaf of papers he had been carrying, resolutely forcing himself to focus on them. It made no difference if she could read maps. This new wrinkle in her personality meant nothing.

Sensing he was through with her, Mina carefully rolled the map back up and laid it with the others on his desk. She watched his long fingers deftly separate the papers into several piles before turning her attention to his face. She could see his smile in her memory and wished he would smile again.

Silence stretched between them, the only sounds the rustle of his papers. When at last Malachite looked up at her, a hint of impatience in his eyes, she asked suddenly, "Why must you do all this? Why can't you delegate a portion of it to someone else?"

"Someone has to do it," he replied, unconsciously echoing Zoicite's earlier words. He went back to the papers. "Goodnight, Mina."

She was dismissed. "Goodnight," Mina replied coolly. She turned and swept into her room, leaving a lingering fragrance of fresh flowers and sunshine.

Once she had gone, Malachite put down the papers on which he could no longer concentrate and rested his head in his hands. Endymion and the others were mistaken, he was sure. They were imagining things. Mina was friendly with everyone—her behavior didn't mean she liked him.

As for Jadeite's infuriating remark that he cared for Mina...well, that was ridiculous. Yes, she was obviously smarter than she looked, and, yes, he sometimes didn't mind her company, but he wasn't falling in love with her and he certainly didn't stare at her. _I am not falling in love with Mina_. It would lead him only to heartache.

On that note, he plunged himself back into the stacks of paper and attempted to lose himself in them, unaware that on the other side of the door, Mina was thinking many of the same things.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina pressed a hand to her mouth in an attempt to stave off the bitter lump rising in her throat. She had hoped her knowledge of maps would perhaps impress Malachite, or at least soften his attitude towards her, but it was obvious there was nothing she could do. She couldn't break through his barriers of cold reserve—she would never persuade him to see her in any other light. She climbed into her bed and burrowed into the covers, blinking furiously to hold back hot tears.

_Come on, Mina, _she scolded herself harshly_. You are Sailor Venus, the leader of the Sailor Senshi. You don't need to cry yourself to sleep every night. Grow up. You might as well get used to the fact that he will never return your feelings. It doesn't matter—you don't have a soul mate. The only thing that does matter is that you do your duty and keep Serenity safe._

Small comfort.

She slumped down farther into her pillows. She couldn't even take out her frustrations on a training session and the inactivity was getting to her. After years of training with the Senshi and practically running the Moon Palace's security, it was a shock to not be doing anything other than sewing and other related hand work. Besides the boring daily routine, she knew nothing about how things were going on the Moon or her home planet, for that matter.

Still, as much as she felt she was not accomplishing anything, Mina knew she had been far from idle. Thanks to her habit of popping up all over the palace, her sudden appearance at any given time drew little attention of late. She overheard a number of things she would never have learned otherwise and over the past few months, she had pieced together a sketchy picture of why Earth had so suddenly become interested in being a part of the Silver Alliance. Mina hoped the entire picture would emerge soon. They needed to determine if Earth really was a safe place for the Moon's sole heiress to live.

Her heartache took a back seat to the Senshi part of her as she mulled over what she had learned so far. If she had been on good terms with her husband, he might have proved a valuable source of information. Unfortunately, Malachite never left anything pertinent out in plain sight where she could peruse it and Mina could not yet convince herself to break into his desk. It was unlikely he kept anything there anyway, she reminded herself. In any event, she had been forced to learn everything secondhand and the reliability of the wild tales she had heard was definitely in question.

_Truth is stranger than legend,_ she mused, staring up at the paneled ceiling above her bed. There were accounts of a strange group of radicals who seemed to hate the Terran royalty with a passion, and who of late had taken interest in inciting riots. Mina had not heard anything about them appearing close to the capital city, but it was always possible.

Mina felt cold chills creep up her spine as she considered the other tales….

The ones about the _things_ that appeared from nowhere.

They weren't ghost stories. She was sure of it. When people dared speak of them, it was always in grim, hushed voices with an underlying whisper of fright lacing their words. Whatever the things were, wherever they were, they were certainly real, though Mina had not yet decided if she believed they were in fact monsters.

Ami and Rei were both developing theories, but everything was mere speculation until they could find conclusive, solid proof.

As she drifted off to sleep, Mina found herself hoping fervently that their proof wouldn't come with any kind of disturbance at the gala that would mark Endymion's birthday. Her rarely-seen practical side surfaced and reminded her it would be an excellent opportunity for some sort of disaster.

_Lovely._

—- ——- ——- —

_Two days to go._ Malachite was intensely grateful the insanity would soon be over. The past week had been bad enough. The celebration would come to an end and everything would settle down again.

The early dawn light cast grey shadows around his chamber, but he could have navigated it blind. He reached into his armoire, his fingers searching through his uniform jackets until they found the one he considered most comfortable. As he shrugged it on, he reflected that it was getting rather worn and would soon have to be parted with. _It's good for another day,_ he thought dismissively as he buttoned it.

_Rip._

The fabric securing the middle button to his jacket chose that moment to give way and he heard a musical jingle as the button hit the stone floor and bounced away. He held back a sigh. _Or not._

Malachite glanced around without immediately seeing his missing button and briefly considered conducting a more thorough search. However, a glance out the window told him he didn't have time—at least not if he wanted to give a few parting instructions to the squad of soldiers being transferred to Gulai to deal with the aftermath of the latest riot. He tossed the torn jacket onto his desk and grabbed another one before snatching up his cape and striding from the room.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina slept later than she intended that morning. When she emerged from her room, ready to begin the day, she was not surprised to find Malachite had already left. As she glanced around his room, she noticed the grey jacket lying on the desk. Out of curiosity—just like papers, Malachite never left clothes anywhere either—she picked it up and looked it over.

_Hmm. Torn and missing a button._ She glanced back at the desk. Said button was currently nowhere in sight. Mina stood for a moment, eying the jacket thoughtfully. Provided she could find the button, it would be the work of only a few minutes to mend the jacket. A smile brightened her face. Then she could leave Malachite to wonder just how his button miraculously sewed itself on again. She chuckled at the thought.

Alas, the search for the golden button was not as easy as she had assumed it would be, but she finally prevailed. The button was found lurking behind one of the wooden posts of his narrow bed and she picked herself up off the floor with a decided feeling of victory. Hastily retrieving needle and thread from her room, she began to mend the tear in his jacket with precise, even stitches. Breakfast could wait.

—- ——- ——- —

After seeing the soldiers on their way, Malachite received a summons from Endymion; the Prince wanted to discuss this latest riot. With a start, he realized he had left the report from the governor of Gulai in his desk. Quickly, he marched back across the palace to his chamber.

As he neared the door however, his footsteps slowed. Someone—probably Mina, he reasoned, given the fact that no one else was usually allowed in their chambers—was singing. Loudly. So loudly, in fact, that the sound was carrying through the heavy wooden door and drifting down the corridor. Very quietly, he pushed the door open, thankful he had finally broken down and allowed the hinges to be oiled.

His eyes went wide and he felt his chest constrict slightly.

Mina was perched on the edge of his desk as if she belonged there, her long golden hair half-obscuring her face, and she was singing at the top of her lungs. Malachite didn't recognize the song or the language she was singing in, but he found himself captivated by the lilting, golden quality of her voice. She was also, he realized belatedly, re-attaching his button to his jacket. A wash of confusion swept over him. How had she found it? Why was she fixing it?

He watched as she put the last stitch in, cut the thread, and then held the jacket up to the light to examine the spot where the tear had been. With a flourish, she finished the last stanza of her song and carelessly draped his jacket back over his desk, arranging it, he realized, almost exactly as it had been before.

When she disappeared into her own room, presumably to put her sewing things away, he stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him, feeling rather as if the rug had just been pulled from beneath his feet. _Why would she do this for me?_ He lifted the jacket and examined the spot she had mended. The previous tear was barely noticeable. He'd be able to get a little more wear out of this jacket yet.

Mina bounced through the door and stopped short when she saw him. "Oh. Malachite," she said faintly. _What is he doing here?_ Then in a stronger voice she added, "Good morning." _I didn't expect to see him until this evening at least._

"Good morning." Malachite retrieved the letter he needed before fingering the button on his mended jacket. "I seem to have been on the receiving end of a small miracle. This wasn't attached when I left." He glanced at her. "Would you happen to know anything about this?"

Unable to look anywhere but at Malachite, Mina noticed his eyes were not cold. If anything, they were almost warm. _It's… like he knows._ She resisted the urge to squirm beneath his penetrating gaze and lifted her chin. "I fixed it. The button was under your bed."

One corner of his mouth quirked at the thought of her crawling around on the floor looking for his button. "I did wonder where it had gone."

Mina dropped her eyes and was suddenly very busy rearranging the folds of her gown.

Malachite watched her, finally able to recognize the signs that indicated she was nervous. A small corner of his mind admitted it was entirely likely he did spend too much time observing her. "Thank you," he said quietly. He doubted she would have bothered if she…if she felt nothing for him at all.

Startled, Mina looked up, her blue eyes widening as they focused on him. Had he actually said what she thought he said?

"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Mina," he continued. His eyes were still steadily fixed on hers, and he gave her a rueful half-smile. "My favorite jacket."

Mina felt a blush rising in her cheeks and laughed merrily to distract herself. "It was nothing." She waved a hand airily. "I didn't mind at all." She resisted the urge to fan herself, though she felt the room was becoming hotter by the second.

Struck by a sudden inspiration, Malachite put one hand behind his back, within the folds of his cape, and concentrated. Casually, he withdrew his hand and presented a perfectly formed pink rose to Mina. "Princess." Endymion wasn't the only one who could perform that little trick—he'd just never seen a use for it before.

Mina accepted it hesitantly, her pulse racing, and twirled the flower between her fingers. "It's lovely." She glanced up at him with a suddenly shy smile. "Thank you, Malachite."

They stood looking at each other for a long moment before he abruptly returned to reality and remembered why he had come back. "I must go—I need to give Endymion a report."

Mina nodded. "Have a good day," she said, offering him another smile. The rose was solid between her fingers and she tightened her grip.

Malachite glanced over his shoulder as he left and found Mina staring at the rose, a contemplative look on her face, highlighting the pink flush suffusing her cheeks. _Should I have done that?_ he debated as he strode down the hall. His heart lightened at the remembrance of her smile and a faint smile tugged at his own lips. _Yes, that was the right thing to do._ It was a step towards building a friendship at least…and…maybe… someday a relationship.

—- ——- ——- —

After he left, Mina absently wove the rose into her hair, still smiling. _Might as well put it to use. _She skipped out the door.

_Is it my imagination, or is Malachite a bit warmer towards me today?_ He'd certainly never given her a flower before, much less a gorgeous rose like that. Where _had_ he gotten it, anyway? She was sure he hadn't had it when he walked into the room. Mina reached up and touched the velvet petals reverently as she turned a corner.

A flower from nowhere.

Perhaps there was hope after all.

—- ——- ——- —

Nephrite fell in beside Malachite as he climbed the steps to Endymion's study. The stargazer placed a hand on his friend's broad shoulder and steered him to the side.

"Mal," he said quietly, "Watch over Mina. Something is going to happen to her. Soon."

Malachite met his brown-haired friend's concerned blue gaze. "The stars have told you this?" His voice was level, cool, calm...belying the sudden spike of unreasonable fear Nephrite's words sent through him.

"Yes."

"Anything else?" he asked dryly. "A warning of danger isn't much to go on." He wondered briefly if this was the stargazer's idea of a joke, or a matchmaking attempt, but Nephrite's expression was entirely too grim.

Nephrite shook his head. "No particulars—you know how they are—but Mina is in danger of some kind. Just be careful of her, eh?"

"I won't let anything happen to her," Malachite said solemnly. Nephrite clapped him on the shoulder and the two continued on in silence.

Malachite meant every word, but fate had other ideas.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina was late for breakfast with Serenity and the others, primarily due to the fact that she was lost in thought as she walked towards the Great Hall. Her fingers kept reaching up to touch the rose as if to assure herself it had been real and she hadn't been dreaming.

Conversation revolved mainly around the upcoming gala. Serenity was ecstatic about being able to celebrate her beloved's birthday. The King and Queen watched her indulgently, smiling at the golden sprite.

Despite the heady surge of excitement that flashed through her mind, Mina dropped out of the conversation after only a few minutes. Her food lay forgotten before her as she stared at the dancing patterns the sun cast on the eastern windows of the Great Hall.

"Mina, are you all right?" Rei asked with concern, after she tried, unsuccessfully, to ask the golden princess a question. "You look rather preoccupied."

The Venusian waved her hand in the air. "Oh, I'm fine," she said dreamily, "I was just thinking."

Lita gasped dramatically. "You were thinking? This early in the morning?"

Mina shot her a sarcastic look and sighed loudly. "I know, I know, it's hard to believe."

Serenity focused her cerulean blue eyes on her friend. "What's on your mind, Mina?"

"I—well…I forgot. Something about dancing." Mina feigned puzzlement. _Please, please don't ask me anything else,_ she begged mentally.

The other girls sighed. "I knew it couldn't be true," Rei muttered, shaking her head. Her raven hair was pulled back into a long braid and it swung back and forth with her movement, much like the tail of a cat.

The King guffawed heartily. He enjoyed the quick-witted banter the princesses exchanged at meals.

The conversation continued, but Mina lost interest again and merely picked at her food.

After a little while, the Queen laid a hand on her arm. "Mina, dear, are you feeling well?" She eyed Mina with mild concern. "You aren't your cheerful self today."

Mina roused herself and gave the Queen a dazzling smile. "Oh, no, Your Majesty, I'm feeling quite well. I was just thinking about the ball and what I'm going to wear."

"I see." The Queen nodded and returned to her fruit, but after a moment, she said abruptly, "Mina, would you do me the honor of finding some flowers suitable for decorations for the ball?" She motioned to Lita, "Of course, Lita, I'd like you to arrange them." It was a given fact around the palace that the Jovian princess had an amazing talent for making gorgeous flower arrangements and the Queen knew by now she would enjoy the challenge.

"I would be honored," Lita said happily. Mina nodded, beaming, and shook off her pensive mood until she could be alone.

When Mina left the Great Hall, she completely missed the concerned, speculative glance the Queen sent after her. She wandered out to the flower garden and began to stroll around idly examining blooms. She selected and cut various flowers automatically, but her mind was only half on her task. When her basket was full, she sank down on the nearest bench to finish thinking.

She had told Endymion's mother the truth—she _was_ thinking about the ball and what she would wear. She was also wondering if perhaps matters between Malachite and herself would be easier now. She hoped they would.

Mina's thoughts bounced from Malachite to the rumors of unrest in the kingdom. She was astute enough to recognize that Malachite—and by extension the other generals—were setting up elaborate security measures. Such precautions were only necessary if there was real danger. Obviously they were concerned something would happen as well.

Mina tapped a golden rose against her chin thoughtfully. She seriously doubted the mysterious "monsters" would make an appearance; from all accounts they showed up randomly and seldom in the larger cities. That left the royalty-despising fanatics to stir up trouble.

_If I hated the Royal Family and wanted to do the most damage…whom would I choose to attack?_

That was easy.

_Serenity, of course.._

Mina's fingers tightened around the stem of the rose, unmindful of the thorns digging into her skin. _Serenity is the perfect target._ The injury or death of the Moon Princess on this particular day would devastate the Royal Family—particularly Endymion—and would also drive a wedge between Earth and the rest of the Silver Alliance. The peace and unity they had worked so many years to establish and maintain would be shattered.

Mina didn't even want to imagine the chaos that would follow. Earth's people had not unanimously joined the Alliance; her months of wandering the palace with her ears open had rewarded her with the knowledge that there were many who still believed Earth had no reason to bond with other planets. Those same people, however, seemed to have been captivated by Serenity. No one spoke ill of her.

It was a rather interesting situation, all things considered.

Mina dropped the golden rose back into her basket and stared at a bush of deep pink hydrangeas. How were they going to keep Serenity safe? True, security would be extremely tight, but it would be best to prepare for the worst.

Undoubtedly, Endymion would never leave her side—_Wouldn't it be nice to have a love like that?_—but what if he was killed first? Or what if the attack came at a time or angle when Endymion couldn't protect her? The Sailor Senshi would have to make an appearance and Mina doubted it would go over well.

With her mind thus occupied, several hours passed by without her knowledge and Mina did not hear, much less sense, the figure that came up behind her.

—- ——- ——- —

The meeting with Endymion lasted longer than Malachite thought it would and it was close to the noon meal when he set off for the training courtyard. As he bypassed the Great Hall, one of the Queen's maids called out to him.

"General Malachite," she said, with a curtsy, "The Queen wishes to know if you have by any chance seen Princess Mina lately. The Princess went out to the flower gardens several hours ago and has not yet returned. The Queen—" the girl trailed off as Malachite's face darkened and he took off with a determined stride that sent his cape billowing out behind him.

The maid shook her head. Obviously he didn't know where the Princess was either, but she was sure he would find her. It occurred to her that perhaps that had been the Queen's intent and she went back to report to her liege with a thoughtful air.

Malachite reached the gardens in record time, his mind filled with images of a hurt or dying Mina. _Why should you care?_ a snide voice asked in the back of his mind.

_She's your wife_, another part shot back. _It's your duty to protect her._

_Is that all she is? A duty?_

He wasn't sure anymore.

There was no trace of her anywhere and his agitation increased the further he went into the gardens. His eyes were everywhere, searching for the golden glint of her hair. Glancing up at the trees, he thought the chirping of birds had never sounded so ominous before.

Malachite rounded a hedge sharply and stopped short, breathing an almost audible sound of relief. _She's fine_. With his relief came a tinge of anger, but he dismissed it as irrational. Mina had done nothing wrong, and there was obviously nothing the matter. She was sitting on a bench in the shade, staring off into space and idly winding a few strands of her hair around one slender finger. A basket of wilting flowers lay beside her on the bench. His rose, he noticed, was tucked into her hair, still as vibrant and fresh as it had been that morning.

"Mina," he said quietly as he approached, not wishing to startle her. When he received no response, he called her name again in a louder voice.

"Wha-?" Mina whipped around, nearly knocking the basket to the ground. "Oh. It's you." She looked at him quizzically, doing her best to suppress the butterflies his sudden appearance caused to rise in her stomach, but her attention wandered.

Why did she have to catch glimpses of the real Malachite—the man who wasn't always so cold, stern, and devoted to duty? Why did he give her a rose when he would never feel anything for her? Why did she have to fall in love with him when it was obvious she was never meant to find love?

Malachite was slightly unsettled by the way her eyes slid past him and she seemed to forget he was even there. "You were gathering flowers for the Queen?" he reminded her patiently. At least, that's what he thought she had been doing—he hadn't exactly stayed long enough to hear the rest of the story from the Queen's maid.

"Oh. Yes." Mina looked down at her basket and frowned. Several hours out of water had not helped her chosen blooms. Very quickly, she darted around and gathered new ones, slightly disconcerted by the way Malachite trailed along behind her.

_One of each will do nicely,_ she told herself. _The servants can come back and gather more after Lita determines how many she'll need. _As she cut another hydrangea, she heard a voice in her head whisper, …_vapid…flirtatious… _She blinked back sudden tears. _That's all he thinks I am._

Malachite caught the glint in her eyes as she turned away from him. "Are you all right?" His voice was level, but held a trace of concern.

Mina refused to meet his eyes. "Of course I'm all right. Why on Earth wouldn't I be?" Clutching her basket, she swept past him and started back to the palace, head held high.

"Why do you have to be so confusing? I never can make heads or tails of you." The words slipped out before Malachite could stop them.

Surprised, Mina glanced back over her shoulder at him. _He thinks about me?_ "I'm a woman," she shot back. "My job is to keep the male species confused." With that, she went on her merry way, leaving, needless to say, a puzzled and thoughtful man behind.

—- ——- ——- —

Her exchange with Malachite brightened Mina's spirits for the rest of the day. She was exuberantly excited when she showed the Queen the flowers she had chosen, much to the Queen's satisfaction, and persisted in hanging around Lita while she was experimenting with arrangements.

Finally, Lita had enough. "Mina!" she scolded, to the amusement of the girls in charge of bringing her more flowers as needed. "I'm never going to come up with the perfect arrangement if you're under my feet the entire time!"

The blonde gave her a look that was entirely too innocent. "I'm not under your feet, Lita. I'm standing right beside you."

The flower girls tittered, trying desperately to keep laughter at bay.

Lita brandished a white rose, waving it threateningly in Mina's face. "Listen, Mina," she said in a low voice, "If you don't let me have some peace and quiet to think, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Mina's eyes were dancing.

The tall brunette said the first thing that came to mind. "I'll find a way to lock you and Malachite together in the same room." She regretted the words immediately; it was impossible to miss the way Mina's face tightened or the way her smile became brittle.

"Oh, heaven forbid," Mina said lightly. "Anything but that, Lita."

Lita's hands went to her mouth and the flower girls all edged closer, wishing they had heard whatever it was she had said. "Mina! I'm sorry! I didn't—"

Mina patted her on the shoulder. "It's all right, Lita." She gave her friend a conspiratorial wink and a forgiving smile. "I'll go find someone else to bother." She floated out of the room.

Lita stared after her unhappily, the flowers all but forgotten. _How could I have said something so tactless?_ she berated herself. _How could I forget how things are between them?_ She went back to her arrangements, ignoring the questioning looks on the flower girls' faces. _I am so sorry, Mina._

—- ——- ——- —

Mina was able to quickly push Lita's words out of her mind—she knew the Jovian princess had not meant them harshly. She was even able to find amusement in the thought of Malachite's reaction to being locked in a room with her. _He'd probably sit on the other side of the room_, she thought with a snicker.

Eventually, her wandering feet took her to Serenity's quarters, where she found the Moon Princess involved in a good-natured argument with Rei about what to wear to the ball.

"I think Endy would prefer the pink one," Serenity protested, as Rei held up a long, flowing white gown for inspection. "I wear too much white as it is."

"You wear too much pink is more like it," Rei sniffed. "Just because you had to wear a white formal gown at the Moon Palace a good portion of the time doesn't mean you can't wear white on any other occasion." She tossed her raven braid behind her shoulder and narrowed purple eyes at her friend.

With a ladylike 'humph', Serenity folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air. Then she caught sight of Mina standing in the doorway struggling to hold back her laughter. "Mina!" she squealed. "You're just in time! Please tell Rei I'll look much better in pink than in white."

Mina glanced at the dresses and studied them critically. "You wear both colors well, Serenity, but in this case, I agree with Rei. I like that white dress much better."

Serenity looked back and forth at the two of them in surprise before letting out a sigh. "Oh, very well," she acquiesced grumpily. "I'll wear the white one."

"I've been meaning to ask you all day, Mina," Rei said suddenly, after hanging the rejected pink dress back up in Serenity's extensive wardrobe. "Where did you get that beautiful rose? I haven't seen any that particular shade of pink in the garden." She watched Mina out of the corner of her eye, waiting for her reaction. Rei thought she knew exactly where it had come from, but she wanted to be sure.

Mina almost succeeded in fighting back the urge to blush. "Malachite gave it to me this morning," she said casually, fingering the silky fabric of the Princess's white dress and refusing to meet their eyes.

Serenity's eyes widened. "He did?" She clapped her hands together and rushed across the room to give her friend a hug. "Oh, that's wonderful!!"

Embarrassed, Mina laughed loudly and waved a hand airily. "He just gave it to me because I fixed his jacket this morning, that's all. It wasn't anything special."

_Hah!_, a niggling voice in her mind said dryly, _Of course it was special_.

She ignored the voice.

As if aware of her internal dialogue, Rei arched an eyebrow "Are you sure?"

"Of course." Mina let out a sigh and sank gracefully into a chair. "Neither of you understand. Malachite doesn't like me. He can't stand to be in the same room with me for any length of time or do anything normal—like chatting during dinner or—or dancing." She drummed her fingers lightly on the arm of the chair. "There can't be anything else behind him giving me that rose. He's too practical."

"He does keep himself under very tight control," Rei said thoughtfully. "In many respects, it's understandable. He oversees palace security for Endymion and the King, and he, Jade, and the others are in charge of the Terran armies under Endymion's command. It takes a great deal of effort to maintain all that." She cast a sidelong glance at Mina. "Sometimes, he reminds me of you."

Mina rolled her eyes, feeling a blush burn her cheeks. "You flatter me, Rei. I'm sure he'd be glad to hear _that_."

"I'm quite serious, Mina," Rei insisted. "You two are alike in a number of ways." _Chief of which being that you're both well-practiced in concealing how you really feel._ Aloud, she said, "You both have an obsession with duty. It's frightening, really."

Mina bit her lip. "I'd really rather not talk about him," she said truthfully.

Rei let the subject drop and turned the conversation towards Endymion's birthday celebration. She sensed there was a great deal more going on than met the eye, but no matter. They would figure it out eventually.

Serenity let the matter go as well, but did nothing to quash the feeling that things were looking up.

—- ——- ——- —

That night, Mina sat at her dressing table brushing her knee-length golden hair automatically as she mentally walked through the palace's many corridors and rooms. If they had to evacuate the Princess, she knew exactly which route they would take. Her thoughts then turned to her conversation with Rei and Serenity and she frowned. They were both wrong. It wouldn't do to get her hopes up just because he'd given her one silly flower.

It had been a hot day and as the night air had not yet cooled, Mina left her door ajar to facilitate a breeze. She heard the outer door open and Malachite's footsteps as he entered. As he went on with his nightly ritual of settling down at his desk with more reports or some such similar activity, Mina ceased paying attention and went back to her own plans.

She was therefore greatly surprised to find his reflection in the corner of her mirror a few minutes later. He was standing in the doorway watching her brush her hair. She pretended not to have seen him, choosing instead to survey him covertly from her seat. There was an unreadable expression on his tanned face, but his lavender eyes were uncharacteristically warm. Abruptly, he turned away and gently closed the door behind him, apparently thinking himself unseen.

This time, Mina was the one who was confused. What was he doing? Why was he checking on her? He'd never done that before. She frowned. What had that look meant?

After considering the matter for a few moments, she laid the brush down and rose to her feet. Taking a deep breath, she crossed to the door, opened it, and leaned out. "Goodnight, Malachite."

He looked up at her from the papers over which he was now bent and their eyes met briefly. "Goodnight, Mina," he replied, pleasantly enough.

She smiled and closed the door.

—- ——- ——- —

For a short while after she disappeared from sight, Malachite remained gazing at the paneled surface of the door. _Did she see me?_ He didn't think she had, yet… He shook his head and attempted to return to his papers. His thoughts refused to obey, choosing instead to linger on Mina and the warning Nephrite had given him.

He rubbed a hand over his eyes. All he had wanted to do was make sure she was there, safe and sound, and he'd found himself unable to resist watching her brush her curtain of shimmering hair. Mina really was beautiful, no matter what her personal shortcomings happened to be. He shook his head. No, that wasn't quite it. Her physical beauty would be nothing without the beauty of her spirit shining through.

The realization brought him up short. Since when had he taken the time to think about her and reach a conclusion like that? Malachite ran over the list of her faults. She played matchmaker, she was nosy, she was often loud, especially when laughing, and she tended to talk too much. On the other hand, she was patient, kind, fairly even-tempered, always cheerful, and always ready to lend an encouraging word. Not to mention she had a madcap sense of humor.

Suddenly aware he was staring at her door again with a half-smile on his lips, Malachite snapped his thoughts away from Mina and set to work. He couldn't think that way about her.

—- ——- ——- —

The next day flew by as if on wings. Everyone was busy doing last-minute things to prepare for the celebration. Mina was everywhere, getting into the way, completely obscuring her ramblings' ulterior motive. As she wandered around, she studied the final security measures and noted where the guards were and where they were not. _I'm impressed. I think Malachite's done an even better job than I would have._ That was saying something. Sailor Venus, when in full steam, was unbelievably paranoid.

That night, Mina stopped to talk to Rei about the security measures. Jadeite was absent; it was his night to oversee the late watch.

"Malachite did an excellent job," she said finally. "I don't know that I would have thought of some of the things he's implemented."

"Of course he did well, Mina." Rei ran a brush through her hair.

Mina shifted on her feet. "Well, just keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary tomorrow."

"You know I will, Mina." Rei observed her narrowly. "You're jumpier than you were yesterday. Have you found out anything else? Any new rumors?"

"I haven't heard any new ones—I was just thinking about what we've learned so far."

"You can't believe everything you hear."

"Rei! I know that! I've known that for years!" Mina paced up and down the room. "The trouble is that they all agree on one thing—these fanatics _hate_ royalty. And who better to target than Serenity?"

The fire princess nodded somberly. "That thought has occurred to me too. We'll be careful of her. I don't want to get into a situation where _they_ are needed."

Mina dipped her head in a nod; she knew exactly what Rei meant. "That would be best avoided." She ceased pacing. "Good night, Rei."

"Good night." Rei closed the wooden door behind her as the Venusian princess left.

Mina made her way down the hall slowly, contemplating her conversation with Rei. When she opened the door to their quarters, she was slightly surprised to find Malachite already there. He sat at the desk, one hand propping up his head, making notations on a sheet of parchment. A large sheaf of various papers was spread before him.

She allowed her eyes to wander over him and she shook her head. _Doesn't he ever stop working?_ she wondered. Malachite looked dead tired, and her heart went out to him. _He needs to go to bed,_ she decided. _His shoulders could use a massage as well._ A wry smile crossed her face. He'd probably have a fit if she touched him.

Unaware of her thoughts, Malachite glanced up at her. "Good evening, Mina. Did—" he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Did you have a good day?" His attention moved back to the papers but she knew he was listening.

"Yes, I did," she said brightly. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow." It wasn't completely a lie. She took a few steps closer to him. "How was your day?"

"Fine."

She waited a moment, but that appeared to be the extent of his conversation for the evening. Suppressing a sigh, she said quietly, "Goodnight, Malachite."

He didn't look up. "Goodnight, Mina."

Halfway to her door, Mina stopped, struck by a sudden impulse. She crossed back over to Malachite and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Don't stay up too late working, Malachite," she murmured in his ear. "You look tired."

Once safely in her room, she leaned up against her door, torn between giddy happiness and the feeling that she had made a huge mistake. Her heart pounded wildly. She'd wanted to do something along those lines for some time now, but…she really didn't know how he'd react. Perhaps he hadn't reacted at all.

Mina slid down to the floor and buried her face in her hands. _Don't think about him, _she told herself. _Focus on living through the ball. You can handle everything else. _She stared numbly at the dark sky visible through her window. _Just survive the ball tomorrow night._

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite was stunned, to say the least. Not so much by Mina's words, which were unusually kind, as by her action. He put a hand to his face in shock. Had she just done what he thought she'd done? Or was he so exhausted that he was imagining things?

He didn't know which frightened him more: the thought that she had actually kissed him or the thought that he was imagining she had kissed him. Other than the perfunctory things society demanded, it was the first physical contact they had had since their wedding day. Malachite buried his face in his arms, the paperwork forgotten. Real or imagined, he found himself wanting more.

That was most frightening.

_You just have to make it through the ball,_ he reminded himself. All he had to do was survive an evening with her and he'd be able to go back to the way things were…wouldn't he?

A little voice in his mind—a voice that sounded suspiciously like Jadeite—whispered, _Just keep telling yourself that, Mal._

* * *

Don't forget to let me know what you think! I'm in the process of revising Part 7 now--the pace is going to start picking up. Next chapter starts a whole chain of events that some of you will remember and some of you will discover. :smiles:

Happy New Year!


	8. Part 7: Greater Love

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Sailor Moon, never have, never will. :( I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series. bows

_AN_: Well, after long last, I'm back with the next chapter. I was delayed by a number of things, including work and my mom having back problems, but here it is. And let me tell you, this revised Part 7 is a hundred times better than the original. I'm much happier with it. I was also the recipient of a small miracle a few weeks ago—I lost a bridging scene I'd written on a piece of paper and it showed up months later on our back porch. Talk about amazing. Btw, I'll be sending out review responses for the last chapter in the next day or so—we've had relatives visiting and it's cut down on my computer time.

A bit of back-story for those interested...I originally wrote the end of this chapter as a one-shot back in late April of 2003 and then realized I needed to flesh it out. The result? FLOD. This has been a very interesting journey and I've enjoyed the entire process.

Special thanks go to Lori, who suggested back in 2003 that I have a scene in which the girls try to find out what's really wrong with Mina. Thank you, Lori!

And as always, extra special thanks go to Dejana Talis for being a fabulous beta reader. :smiles:

Hope y'all enjoy!

"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."—Proverbs 27:5 NIV

and...

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."—John 15:13 NIV

* * *

**For Love...or Duty**

**Part 7:**

**Greater Love…**

Early the next morning, Mina stood beside her door for a few minutes, trying to work up the courage to knock. A thousand irrational, half-formed thoughts flitted through her mind in an unceasing stream. She'd crossed the invisible line between them—she'd broken the tacit agreement they had developed through months of studiously avoiding any physical contact with each other.

_I kissed Malachite._

True, it had been a gentle peck to his cheek, but she had not missed the way his body tensed. Mina closed her eyes. _Come on_, she told herself, _you can do this. You're Sailor Venus. You've dealt with diplomats, royalty, and even Rei when she's really angry. He's just a man. You can do this._

Mina raised her hand and rapped on the door.

There was no answer.

Lifting her chin, she cautiously opened the door and stepped out into her husband's room. It was empty. She breathed a deep sigh of relief and leaned up against the door dizzily as the strength drained from her legs.

_He's not here._

She wouldn't have to face him for the rest of the day—unless she was unfortunate enough to run into him in the palace. Feeling giddiness wash over her, Mina glanced around the dim room, noting there were still haphazard stacks of maps, letters, reports, and whatnot piled on his desk. She frowned. _That's odd. He usually puts those away before he leaves._

A soft noise came from the direction of the bed. Mina instinctively flatted herself against her door, feeling her heart begin to pound again. _You're slipping, Venus,_ she scolded herself.

Malachite hadn't left after all—he was still asleep.

Mina's blue eyes widened and she bit her lip nervously. She had given the bed a passing glance, but in the dim light she hadn't noticed the still form lying there. A small part of her was amused. _This is new. He's always up before I am._

One hand creeping up to rest on her heart, Mina looked over at the window.The sun was just starting to make its way over the horizon. _Either I'm up earlier than usual, or he stayed up too late last night doing all that silly paperwork._ After a moment's thought, she decided it was probably both. Her stomach rumbled and she bit back a nervous, irrational giggle. _Well, there's no point in staying here any longer._

Using every bit of the stealth she had learned as Sailor Venus, Mina crept across the room to the outside door. Her hand reached for the doorknob and then halted. The room was growing brighter with every passing second and from here, she could see Malachite more clearly. Her breath caught in her throat.

He didn't look as stern and cold when he was sleeping. In fact, he seemed younger and…peaceful. Mina's heart did a flip-flop and she took two steps toward him. _What would it be like,_ she wondered, _to have his arms around me?_ She took another few steps, one hand reaching out to brush a lock of silver hair out of his face…and then realized what she was doing.

Mina retreated hastily to the door, her checks burning. If she touched him, she would probably wake him up and there was no way he would believe her motives to be innocent. Nor would he find the gesture welcome. _I don't want him to think even less of me._

Head held high, Mina turned back to the door and slowly eased it open. The freshly oiled hinges made nary a squeak and she felt a wave of relief wash over her. How wonderful that Malachite had finally decided to have it oiled. She quickly slipped out and shut the door with a gentle click. Then, feeling breakfast was well in order, she set off for the kitchens, completely unaware her departure had been observed.

—- ——- ——- —

Half-asleep, Malachite listened to the light footsteps echoing down the hall. It had been rather thoughtful of Mina to leave so quietly, he decided blearily, closing his eyes. The image of the sun flashing on her hair came to him as he began to drift off again. Then realization sank in and he bolted upright, staring at the chink of sunlight dancing on the door. _The sun is up?_ His feet hit the floor with a thud as he scrambled out of bed.

Malachite prided himself on being the one who could be counted on to make sure things were running smoothly. If that meant he was often up much earlier than most of the palace's inhabitants, then so be it. Today, however…he'd clearly overslept.

Shooting the piles of official-looking papers on his desk a scathing glance as he dressed, Malachite tried to shake off the last vestiges of fog still muddling his mind. He'd stayed up much too late the night before—which, he decided irritably, was entirely Mina's fault. Her one, simple gesture had distracted him so thoroughly that he spent the rest of the evening in a state of shock and had managed to accomplish very little. He sighed and yanked open the door. Even Clarisse had not possessed that power over him.

As he stalked through the empty halls and corridors, he felt a heavy weight settle over him. _She didn't mean anything by it._ Mina, much like Serenity, was an affectionate person. Studied in the cold light of day, her kiss meant nothing but the fact that she was a little more comfortable around him.

_I'll have to dance with her tonight._

His steps slowed and he stopped in the middle of the corridor, head bowed and fists clenched tightly. The thought was a double-edged blade. For one evening, he had a legitimate excuse to touch her, to hold her…to find out if everything Zoicite, Endymion, and the others had said was true. And yet…

Mina frightened him.

_No, that's not quite right. _It wasn't she herself who frightened him as much as the prospect of what she could become. Malachite had thought himself in love once and he recognized the signs. Clarisse had been an infatuation he was glad to be rid of, but Mina…he shook his head. With Mina he stood on the brink of nothingness. If he let himself fall—if he gave her his heart—there would be no return. Ever.

Either way, dancing with her was going to be torture. Malachite ran a hand through his silver hair and sighed._ I can't wait for this day to be over._

He started off again and turned down the corridor that led to the Great Hall. When he strolled in, the servant girl setting the table for breakfast dipped a curtsey.

"Good morning, General."

Malachite acknowledged her with a curt nod and pulled out a chair. He sat down at the long table and the girl hurried off to serve him. Tiredly, Malachite rubbed his eyes to chase away the last remnants of sleep. He couldn't think about Mina any longer—he was going to have to dance with her at the ball and that was that. The best he could do was keep the agony as short as possible.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina was in the kitchen, munching on a freshly baked cinnamon roll and plying Clara, one of the head cooks, with questions as to how they were made, when one of the scullery maids dashed back into the room.

"Did you get that table set?" Clara asked sternly, looking up from the rolls she was spreading with icing.

The girl shook her head breathlessly. "General Malachite needs breakfast."

Clara's face softened. "Well, that's another matter." Quickly, she piled cinnamon rolls and a few other things onto a plate. She was about to hand it to the scullery maid when Mina intervened with a bright smile.

"I'll take it to him."

Clara blinked, looking somewhat taken aback. Then she bowed her head. "As you wish, Princess."

Mina took the plate, but allowed Clara to hand the mug to the scullery maid. They left the kitchen and headed for the Great Hall.

Behind them, the kitchen sprang into action. A scant moment later, another girl hurried out with a second plate, a goblet of juice, and an ear-to-ear grin. The kitchen staff had a great deal of respect for both General Malachite and Princess Mina, and the fact that the two of them weren't particularly close had been clucked over on numerous occasions. This was their chance to help.

Unaware that Clara and the others had taken matters into their own hands, Mina entered the Great Hall. Her heart began to thump a little harder as caught sight of Malachite. She was half-afraid he would notice her as she approached, but he was staring off into the distance as if it held all the answers to the universe.

He didn't look around as she set his plate and mug in front of him, but immediately reached for his coffee. "Thank you."

A mischievous grin suddenly lit Mina's face. "You're welcome," she said cheerfully.

Surprised, Malachite nearly choked on his coffee, but he managed to compose himself. He looked at her but, before either of them could speak, another servant girl darted forward. In the blink of an eye, another plate had been set beside his, along with a pitcher and a goblet of fruit juice. The girl bobbed a curtsey and vanished.

For a few seconds, Mina stood rooted to the spot, staring at the extra setting on the table in shock. She hadn't actually intended to sit with Malachite, but it appeared the kitchen staff had other ideas.

Malachite watched a strange look pass over Mina's face, surprise mixed with..._is that a trace of panic on her face?_ he wondered. Oddly it was the panic that made up his mind. Politely rising to his feet, he said in what he hoped was a casual voice, "Good morning, Princess. Care to join me?"

Mina felt rather discombobulated—unused to having her own matchmaking tactics used against her—but she dipped her head in a shy nod. "If I may?"

"Certainly." Malachite helped her into her seat, noting that the sunlight streaming through the windows behind them turned her hair to molten gold. He resumed his own chair and they ate in awkward silence.

Mina risked a glance at Malachite now and then. _He doesn't seem angry,_ she thought, munching a wonderfully gooey cinnamon roll. _Maybe he just doesn't care._

Malachite caught the wistful look that flashed across her face, wondering what it meant. He gazed down into his mug absently. _So much for not thinking of her._ Clearly his attempt to avoid her wasn't working.

They parted ways a little later with barely a dozen words exchanged, much to the disappointment of the kitchen staff, who were hoping the two would relax and enjoy each other's company.

—- ——- ——- —

The day crawled by for Mina and the other princesses. Anticipation was at its peak and servants dashed about making sure everything was exactly as it should be. This left little for Serenity and her court to do to prepare. The Moon Princess spent the day with the Queen, while Ami ensconced herself in the library. Mina, Lita, and Rei slipped away to visit the flower gardens, but separated to wander different sections.

Mina spent several seemingly happy, carefree hours roaming the gardens while her mind worked overtime. She was going over all of the security measures, running through the corridors in her mind, and imagining how the ball room would look from different angles. But she was also reminiscing, remembering other dances she had attended in years past. She remembered how excited she used to be; how she always laughed and wondered if perhaps she would find her knight in shining armor that night. But she never had. _And I never will._

She bent and gently brushed the top of a red rose with her fingertips, feeling the silky softness of its petals. Her golden hair fell to frame her slender form. _I never will._

The blonde glanced up at the sky and noted the sun's position. _I'd better be getting back. I don't want them to come looking for me. _Slowly, she threaded her way out of the garden. When she passed the bench where Malachite had found her two days before, she felt a sharp stab. To counteract it, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

_Why did I have to fall in love with him? Why? It's a distraction. I don't need distractions. I need to focus on Serenity. Protecting her is my duty, and I can't do it if I'm pining after Malachite. As long as Serenity is safe, it doesn't matter if he dances with me or not._

Her head held high, Mina swept down the stone path and into the palace.

"Oh! Mina! There you are!"

Mina turned just in time to brace herself as Serenity launched herself down the hall and grabbed her hand.

"We were starting to wonder where you were," Serenity chattered, towing Mina through the halls. "It's time for us to start getting ready, you know." She laughed, a pink blush suffusing her cheeks. "This reminds me of our wedding day." Her long golden ponytails streamed behind her merrily.

The Venusian princess didn't answer. In all honesty, her wedding day was a day she'd like to forget. She never would, but it was sometimes nice to think she might. She allowed herself to be pulled along, and finally regained some of her old spark. "Race you to your room, Sere," she said impishly.

Serenity looked startled. "Mina, I don't think—"

Mina tugged her hand free and picked up her skirts. "Come on, Princess!" she called with a laugh.

"Hey!" the Lunarian protested as the blonde whirlwind rushed past her. "Mina!!! That's not fair!!" She picked up her own skirts and dashed madly after the rapidly departing Venusian. "MIIIIINNAAAA!!! Wait for meeeeeee!"

Malachite, Jadeite and Endymion were descending the grand staircase in the ballroom when two blonde streaks darted through the room. They stopped short in surprise as Serenity halted in the middle of the room, panting.

"MIINAAA! Slow down!" she gasped. "I can't keep up!"

Mina stopped and whirled about to face her friend. "But you said we had to hurry," she said innocently, blue eyes dancing.

"I pant didn't gasp mean huff that way." The Moon Princess shook her head, holding her side.

Mina posted her hands on her hips, unaware of their audience. "Well, then what did you mean?"

Serenity straightened. "I meant that we should walk like ladies." She bit her lip. "Mother would kill me if she saw me running through the palace like I was a little girl again."

"Like ladies?" Mina deliberately widened her eyes. "Oh, I see. We should walk like this." She proceeded to take mincing, delicate steps across the ballroom floor, her nose stuck in the air. Above them, Jadeite and Endymion fought laughter and even Malachite had trouble restraining a smile. Mina had captured perfectly the way the majority of the court's ladies pranced about.

Serenity burst out laughing. "Oh, Mina, you're hilarious."

"I know." Mina gave her a saucy wink and then tucked her arm through Serenity's. "The ball awaits." She gestured dramatically. "Onward!" The two of them hurried out of the room.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Endymion and Jadeite both gave way to their laughter.

"An excellent imitation if I ever saw one," Jadeite said with a chuckle. He glanced over at Malachite, who was staring thoughtfully after the departing princesses, and nudged him. "Sweep her off her feet tonight, Mal."

The silver-haired General's faint smile vanished and he turned an icy lavender gaze on his friend. "Our relationship is none of your business," he ground out. "Get that through your thick skull." With a swirl of his cape, he turned around and stalked off the way they had come.

Endymion whistled. "You touched a nerve, Jade. I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Jadeite shrugged. "Somebody has to keep him honest. He's too stubborn to admit he cares for her and it's hurting both of them."

Endymion shook his head. "He'll come to his senses eventually."

Jadeite's face was unusually grave. "I jut hope it's not too late." He smiled and said in a lighter voice, "Besides, I've been getting Old Stiff and Stern riled up for years now and I'm still alive."

"You're either very brave or very stupid."

Jadeite smirked, but did not reply.

—- ——- ——- —

Laughing merrily, Mina and Serenity entered the beautiful set of rooms the Moon Princess shared with her husband. The other princesses were already there along with their maids.

"Endymion doesn't mind us being here, does he?" Ami asked with a trace of concern.

Serenity shook her head. "We discussed this earlier and he moved everything he was going to need to another room."

"That was very kind of him," Ami said, looking rather relieved. "Especially considering it is his birthday."

Serenity accepted a cup of tea from her maid and sipped it thoughtfully, looking at the dresses spread across the room. She smiled. "I know. Isn't he wonderful?" She sighed dreamily into her tea as she crossed the room to her dressing table.

"Look out!" Rei's warning came too late.

Serenity bumped into a chair and the contents of her cup sloshed onto the dress lying there. "Oh, no!" She looked over at Mina. "I'm so sorry!"

Mina waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. I'll go get another one."

"No," Rei said suddenly. "Let Ginevra do it." This was a chance for them to speak to Mina with no listeners.

Surprisingly, Serenity caught on immediately. "Yes," she said brightly. "Why don't all of you go find something beautiful for Princess Mina?" She smiled at the maids, who curtsied and quickly left, pleased the Princesses had entrusted them with the task.

Rei sank down into an unoccupied chair and fixed Mina with a violet stare. "Are things working out better between you and Malachite, Mina?" she inquired pleasantly.

Mina shrugged, fingering the sleeve of her stained dress. "I suppose. I leave him alone, and he leaves me alone." _Except for when you kissed him,_ her inner voice reminded her.

"But what about the rose he gave you?" Serenity asked. "Didn't that mean anything?"

Mina shook her head. "I told you before, Sere, he only gave it to me because I fixed his favorite jacket."

"He's falling in love with you," Lita said bluntly, resting her hands on her hips.

Mina stiffened and looked at the Jovian Princess accusingly. "Don't say things like that. He's not falling for me. He can't stand me."

"Are you sure?" Ami prodded gently from her corner,. She clasped her hands in her lap. "Zoicite said he's been acting strange lately."

"It doesn't have anything to do with me, I assure you." Mina waved her hands in the air. "He's had mountains of reports to go through, and some of the news that is coming isn't good. There have been a number of small mobs and such that have formed around Earth in the past few days. They don't seem to be happy with the Royal Family and he's concerned."

"Why are you being so blind, Mina?" Lita demanded. "For a Venusian who's supposed to be very adept in reading the feelings of the heart, you're being extraordinarily dense about your own feelings. Don't you care about him?"

Mina didn't answer for a moment. Then she said softly, "I never said I didn't care." She blinked and her cornflower blue eyes were suddenly glittering with unshed tears. "I know you mean well, and I appreciate you caring about me, but I really don't want to discuss this now. Please."

"You can tell us anything, Mina, you know that," Serenity said, her silvery voice comforting.

"We're here for you," Ami added. The setting sun caught the sapphire jewels she had just placed in her blue hair and made them sparkle.

Rei laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't give up, Mina. Things will work out. You'll see."

"Yes. Things _will _work out," Lita said cheerfully. She smacked a fist into her hand. "Or else I'll have to work Malachite over and make him see reason."

The thought of the Jovian princess beating Malachite up made Mina crack a small smile. "Thank you." Then her whole expression brightened. "Now let's knock their boots off, shall we?"

The maids returned with a gown for Mina, and the rest of the afternoon was spent in merry chatter and laughter.

—- ——- ——- —

"What on Earth are they doing?" Nephrite paced the hall outside Endymion's quarters. "They've been in there for hours," he complained. He, Endymion, and the others were waiting to escort their wives to the celebration.

From his place leaning against the wall, Jadeite laughed. "Neph," he said easily, "haven't you learned yet that the fine art of dressing is a long and complicated process?"

Nephrite scowled. "It never takes Lita this long in the morning," he grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"She's not preparing for a ball every morning, either," Zoicite pointed out quietly.

Nephrite glared at him. "Whatever."

"Calm down," Endymion admonished. "They'll be out eventually."

"Or at least they'd better be." Jadeite's blue eyes were full of amusement. "It'd be a shame for them to miss this."

Zoicite shook his head. "They won't."

Malachite alone was silent, listening to his friends' exchange with only half his attention. He was busily running through a mental checklist. Everything was set. All the guards were in place and had their orders for the night. No one would be admitted to the palace without a valid invitation, and the guards would be keeping an eye on the crowd gathering outside.

The sound of a door opening jolted him out of his reverie and he straightened to attention as Serenity swept out into the corridor.

The Moon Princess wore a flowing white dress with gold accents and a tiny, glittering crown nestled between her customary buns. When she caught sight of Endymion, she beamed at him and curtsied daintily. "Happy birthday, my prince."

Endymion bowed and kissed her hand before tucking her arm through his. "You look beautiful, Sere," he whispered, loving the way her cheeks grew pink.

"We were wondering when you would grace us with your presence," Jadeite said with a rakish grin as his wife emerged through the door, followed by Ami, Lita, and Mina.

"Nephrite almost wore a path through the floor," Zoicite added.

Mina tossed her head, sending golden tendrils of hair flying. "You don't think it's easy being this beautiful, do you?" She laughed and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief and excitement. Her eyes sought Malachite and she was pleased to discover he was looking at her, his eyes slightly wider than usual. She wondered if he recognized her dress.

He probably didn't. In all likelihood, he had permanently blocked out memories of that first night on the Moon. She allowed her gaze to flick over him and held back a sigh. _Handsome as ever._

"Venusians," Lita said in amusement, shaking her head. Instead of her beloved ponytail, she wore her rich brown hair piled up on top of her head, but a few wisps had slipped out to frame her face. Her dress, deep green with off-the-shoulder sleeves, enhanced her eyes.

Nephrite, his impatience quite forgotten, could only stare at her. After a few seconds, he regained his senses and quickly stepped forward to offer her his arm.

"Blondes," Rei agreed. Her black hair was loose and streamed around her, contrasting nicely with the silky lavender gown she had chosen to wear. She sauntered over to her husband and her lips curved in a sultry smile. _Do I look presentable?_

_You look absolutely gorgeous,_ he replied mentally, matching her smile with one of his own.

"I beg your pardon!" Serenity protested. She looked indignantly at the princess of Mars. "You mean Mina, don't you, Rei?"

Mina gave them an innocent look. "But I'm the Princess of Venus," she pouted teasingly, swishing her orange skirts. "I'm supposed to be gorgeous, aren't I?"

"Gorgeous but no sense at all," Malachite observed coolly.

Mina had far too much experience to let her cheerful mask falter. She laughed merrily and batted her eyelashes at him, knowing he would find it irritating. "Now, really, Malachite, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you thought I was a vapid flirt!" She spoke lightly, but the memory of his words still rankled in her heart.

"That's because you are." The instant the words left his mouth, Malachite regretted them. For a split-second, he thought he saw pain flash across Mina's face before it was replaced with a bright smile.

"Malachite—" Endymion began, sounding rather taken-aback, but Mina interrupted him.

"It's quite all right, Your Highness," she said, "He's just teasing me." The sweet, mischievous expression on her face effectively covered over the raw wound that just been reopened inside her.

Endymion looked like he didn't believe her, but Serenity was tugging on his arm.

"Come on, Endy," she implored. "You're going to be late to your own ball."

Distracted, the ebony-haired prince smiled at his wife. "We can't have that, can we?"

Malachite looked at Mina, whose smile was still in place as she stared after the royal couple. He felt off-balance again and suppressed a scowl. He hadn't meant to say those things to her.

Taking a deep breath, Malachite forced himself to walk over to his wife. This was one of those times he really loathed protocol. He bowed slightly and held out his hand. "May I escort you to the ball, Princess?"

Mina's smile widened just a little, even as her breath hitched in her throat. "You may," she murmured, placing her hand in his.

They walked arm in arm down the halls behind Endymion and Serenity in silence, both hyper-aware of the other. Ami, Zoicite, Lita, Nephrite, Rei, and Jadeite followed, chatting quietly.

Malachite resisted stealing glances at the beautiful blonde beside him. No matter how wrapped up in their own wives his friends were, he knew they would notice and he did not feel like listening to anymore lectures. Still, he couldn't help but remember his thoughts from the morning.

Every once in a while, Mina's eyes darted to her husband's face. She hoped he couldn't tell that being so close to him was making her heart pound faster, though it was certainly loud enough for him to hear. Her stomach was a mass of writhing, twisting knots. _I have to be careful_, she thought._ I can't let him see how much I care. It'll only push him away._

—- ——- ——- —

The banquet was delicious and Mina tucked into her food, determined to at least look like she was enjoying herself. During the meal, she caught Malachite's eyes on her a few times, though she pretended to be unaware of what he was doing, and a sudden, completely irrational hope filled her. _Maybe he'll dance with me tonight; really dance with me._ The thought brought a bright smile to her face.

Beside her, Malachite found himself wondering what had suddenly made her so happy.

After several rousing birthday speeches, including one by Serenity, everyone streamed into the ballroom. Mina stole a cautious look up at Malachite, her hand lightly resting on his arm. _Please dance with me,_ she prayed silently, watching Endymion and Serenity step onto the floor.

Malachite counted the beats in his head, waiting for the moment he would take Mina out on to the dance floor. He wasn't sure he could do this, but his duty was to his wife—at least for the first dance. He took a deep breath, struggling to return his pulse to normal, and swept Mina into the swirling strains of the waltz filling the air.

Mina melted into his arms like they had been made for each other and Malachite instinctively allowed himself to relax into the dance, pulling her closer. _This isn't so bad,_ a part of him reflected. The flowery scent of her hair filled his senses and her small body was soft against his own as they moved flawlessly in time to the music.

His eyes settled on her glowing face before sliding to her lips, which were slightly parted in a smile. Unbidden, the memory of the spark he'd felt at their wedding rushed back to him. If he leaned in just a little…he could find out if that spark had been his imagination.

Malachite brought himself up short, not liking where his mind was going. What was he thinking? He couldn't kiss her here—he'd never hear the end of it. _You don't want this marriage,_ he reminded himself savagely, _and you certainly don't want her!_ Never mind what dancing with her was doing to him, and never mind he'd been thinking he was poised on the brink just a few hours earlier. _There's only one thing to do._

His face showing nothing of his internal struggle, Malachite finished the dance. As soon as the music ended, he dropped Mina's hands and stepped away to put some distance between them. He made the mistake of meeting her gaze, however, and found his abrupt movements had startled her. A niggling feeling of guilt tried to make itself known, but he ignored it. This was the only way he would have any peace.

"If you'll excuse me?" he asked blandly, giving her a bow before he turned and vanished from the floor.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina could have cried. She had thought he was relaxing, had thought that maybe there was a chance for them, but clearly he considered dancing with her an advanced form of torture. Completely missing the way his gloved hands clenched as he disappeared into the crowd, she stared after him in painful realization. _He hates me so much he can't even stand to touch me._

Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she had no time to indulge them. She was the Princess of Venus; she had both her family's honor and her reputation to maintain. Besides, Rei and Jadeite were moving past her as the next dance began and the Martian Princess was sure to sense something amiss. Hastily, Mina composed her face into a semblance of a smile.

"Princess?" a voice asked from behind her.

Grateful for the interruption, Mina turned to find a young man holding out his hand to her, an eager look in his dark eyes.

"May I have this dance?" he asked with a courtly bow.

She placed her hand in his without a moment's hesitation. "Of course."

He was only the first of many dance partners that evening.

In an attempt to distract herself, to keep her thoughts from lingering on Malachite and his rejection of her, Mina swirled and twirled around the ball room constantly. She appeared to be in high spirits and was the center of an admiring crowd wherever she went, but she couldn't keep herself from searching for silver hair.

—- ——- ——- —

As the night wore on, Malachite grew more and more agitated. Watching from the sidelines, he felt a stab of something he steadfastly refused to identify as jealousy every time he saw her with a new dance partner, or worse, an old one. The way she laughed, chatted, and smiled, charming everyone around her grated on his nerves.

Finally, towards the end of the evening, something inside him snapped. He pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against and waded into the sea of people on the floor, forcing out barely polite excuses between clenched teeth whenever he bumped into someone. This was the way _she_ had acted before breaking off their engagement. _I will not be made a fool of again._

He made it through to Mina and caught her wrist just as she was about to begin another dance

"Another time, perhaps," she said graciously to her disappointed partner, giving him a smile before following Malachite.

Keeping a firm grasp on her, Malachite maneuvered them through the crowd. Then he practically dragged her into a semi-secluded niche and shoved her up against the cool stone wall. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded in a low, angry voice. His tanned face was dark and his lavender eyes flashed dangerously.

Though his nose was inches from her own, Mina refused to let his proximity intimidate her. "What do you think I'm doing?" she retorted. "I'm dancing. I'm enjoying myself. Is there a problem with that?"

Malachite's fist slammed into the wall beside her head and Mina willed herself not to flinch. "Yes," he growled. "You're a married woman. You're supposed to show restraint, not openly flirt with every man who so much as looks at you!"

"Typical," Mina said scathingly, white-hot pain blazing inside her. "You won't dance with me yourself, but you object when anyone else does." She gave him a glare she usually reserved for use as Sailor Venus. "For your information, General High and Mighty, I wasn't flirting. I was merely being polite."

"Well," Malachite snarled, "I don't like your way of being polite."

"Then dance with me yourself! I'm _your_ wife!" Mina burst out. "All I wanted was for you to dance with me tonight, Malachite. Is that so horrible?"

The look in her blue eyes was almost pleading, and Malachite found he could not answer. Too many conflicting thoughts and emotions were flitting around in his head for him to make sense of them. Chief among them were guilt and horror at the lack of control he had just displayed.

A sudden cheer went up from the people gathered behind them in the ball room and he came to with a start. "We're supposed to be out on the balcony," he muttered.

—- ——- ——- —

Mina allowed Malachite to take her arm without protest and they quickly made their way to the huge balcony opening out of the ballroom's western wall. The King, Queen, Endymion, and Serenity were already there, waving to the masses of people crowded into the courtyard below. The entire city was celebrating Endymion's birthday and it looked like all of them were gathered in front of the palace.

Mina and Malachite took their places behind Endymion and Serenity, joining the other Princesses and Generals. The happiness everyone was radiating hit Mina like a physical blow. At that moment, surrounded by cheering crowds, she had never felt so alone. She couldn't remember what it felt like to be joyful. She glanced at Malachite, who stood tall and stiff beside her, and her gaze slid down his body to rest on his gloved hand. It only served to remind her that she was denied even the slightest show of affection—if theirs had been a normal marriage she could have slipped her hand into his.

_Stop it,_ she told herself. _Dwelling on it does no good._ She forced the thoughts away and looked down at the crowd, deliberately scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing caught her eye and she breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps she had been worried for naught.

Fireworks suddenly exploded in the sky, sending tendrils of sparkling silver and gold in all directions. The crowd burst into applause. Clapping along with the rest, Mina glanced down again. And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him.

In and of itself, there was nothing unusual about the man at the edge of the crowd. He was just a well-dressed citizen trying to get a better view of the Royal family. Yet something about him screamed a warning to Mina.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched him deftly pick his way through the crowd. The fluid, borderline unnatural grace with which he moved sent chills up her spine. _This man is not of Earth._

Several more fireworks exploded overhead, creating brilliant starbursts of red, green, blue, purple, and white. The man came to a halt in the center of the crowd and for a few seconds, he was perfectly still. Then something silver glinted in his hand.

Even before she consciously registered it was a knife, Mina broke from her place beside Malachite. There was only one possible target. Her own words echoed in her ears.

_What is the best way to destroy the peace?_

Mina thrust her way towards the woman she was supposed to protect just as more fireworks went off above them. "Princess! Look out!" Her voice was drowned out by a fresh cheer from the crowd. Serenity stood at the balcony's edge, clapping delightedly. Endymion was at her side, but he wouldn't be able to stop the inevitable. He didn't even realize there was danger.

The man threw the knife.

Time seemed to slow as it arched through the air. Out of the corner of her eye, Mina saw Rei move. The Martian Princess had apparently picked up on the danger as well, but it was much too late. _I'm the only one who can save her._

Mina knocked Serenity aside just as the blade came down with deadly accuracy.

For a few seconds, there was absolute silence in the courtyard, save for the thunderous booming of fireworks. Then the crowd realized what had happened and all hell broke loose.

Mina sank to her knees, the purple and gold sparks raining down from the star-studded sky filling her field of vision. She looked down at her chest and the noise around her faded away. _How strange,_ she thought in fuzzy bewilderment. _It doesn't hurt at all._

_She's safe,_ a voice in her head whispered. _Go to sleep. You've done your duty. That's all that matters._

Her eyelids suddenly heavy, Mina slumped sideways. Her mind refused to focus on anything except that Serenity was safe. As she slipped into oblivion, she was dimly aware of someone calling her name, but she couldn't muster the energy to care. Her duty was done; the darkness tugged at her, offering her a release from everything.

—- ——- ——- —

In his peripheral vision, Malachite saw Mina dart from his side. He turned towards her, the anger simmering beneath his calm exterior threatening to manifest itself again. After her little speech about only wanting him to dance with her, what was she doing now?

Then he caught sight of the knife hurtling through the air and his anger evaporated like morning mist. He realized in horror that she must have seen it, but she couldn't—she couldn't possibly be—

It was all over before he even had the chance to lift a finger. Mina reached the Moon Princess just as the knife fell, but he was unable to see where it had gone. Everyone immediately converged on Serenity, effectively shielding both her and Mina from his sight.

Malachite was vaguely aware that his fellow Generals were rushing to capture the would-be assassin, who was struggling to leave the crowd, but the question of where the knife had gone was paramount in his mind. Fighting a sick feeling, he roughly pushed his way to his prince's side. Either Serenity was wounded, or…his mind trailed off unable to complete the thought.

Endymion was kneeling on the stone floor, holding a distraught Serenity in his arms. She was struggling to escape him, babbling incoherently though her tears, but otherwise appeared to be uninjured.

Malachite's eyes met Endymion's as he looked up, and the sorrowful regret in the prince's blue eyes caused an icy fist to close around his heart. _No…_

Behind Endymion, Rei, Ami, and Lita were huddled around an unmoving figure. They were all talking frantically, but Rei's panicked voice could be heard above the rest, begging Mina to open her eyes.

The icy fist around his heart tightened as Malachite stepped around Endymion and his eyes swept over the crumpled form of his princess. In a glance he took in the knife protruding from her chest, buried up to its hilt dangerously close to her heart, and the dark, chilling mist the knife was emanating.

A mist that seemed to be slowly draining the last of her life-force.

_No…_

He dropped to his knees beside her, one hand brushing her golden hair out of the way while the other reached to cup the side of her face. "Mina?" he asked urgently, "Can you hear me?"

There was no answer—not that he had expected one.

Her breathing was coming in long, shallow gasps, and it did not take someone with as much experience as he had to see what was happening. Closing down on the fear and dread welling up in him, he said grimly, "Fight it, Mina. Don't give up." He hoped she could hear him.

Ignoring the other princesses and everyone else on the balcony, Malachite scooped Mina up in his arms and dashed back into the palace.

"Get out of the way!" he growled at the gawking men and women blocking his passage. They scattered immediately and broke out into hushed whispers. The fireworks had stopped.

Malachite cast a glance down at Mina's face as he sprinted to the Healers' Wing, taking care to jostle her as little as possible, and felt his heart contracting painfully again. Whether from the knife or the mist, she wouldn't be with him much longer.

The thought was staggering and he instinctively held Mina tighter. _I can't lose her._ A thousand and one images of her flashed through his mind; the first time they met, the night of the ball on the Moon, their wedding day, last night, just before she kissed him, and the pleading look in her eyes before they stepped foot on the balcony. If she died, he would carry that image to the end of his days, a reminder of how foolishly stubborn he had been.

It seemed to take forever to reach his destination. When Malachite finally hurtled around a corner and entered the main corridor of the Healer's Wing, Mina was barely breathing. He ignored the startled Healer posted at the entrance and dashed into the first empty room he could find, kicking the door shut behind him.

The room was dark without the light from the flickering torches lining the hall, but Malachite's eyes adjusted quickly. He gently laid Mina's limp body on the bed, just as the door banged open and the Healer burst into the room.

"General Malachite!" she cried breathlessly, "What's—"

He cut her off before she could finish. "There's nothing you can do."

The Healer's eyes went wide, flicking to Mina's unconscious figure. "But, General—"

Malachite took the candle she was holding. "Leave." His princess was too far gone for the Healers' skills and they were wasting precious time.

Once the door had closed behind the confused woman, Malachite set the candle on the table beside the bed and dropped to his knees. His throat catching at the sight of the unnatural translucency of Mina's skin, he reached for the knife. As yet, very little blood had escaped the wound, but he knew that would change. "Hold on, Mina."

The knife's oddly-shaped handle burned him as he grasped it, but he ignored the pain and withdrew the blade from her chest with one fluid motion. Blood immediately spurted from the hole, drenching the front of Mina's bodice.

Tossing the knife over his shoulder, completely unaware that it turned to dust the instant it hit the floor, Malachite yanked off one of his gloves with his teeth and pressed it against the wound to stem the flow of blood. Then he held his other hand above the wound.

He forced himself to relax, deliberately forgetting he had not done this in a very long time. It was one of the Royal family's best-kept secrets that he and the other three Generals had been born with special abilities. His, strangely enough, was the gift of healing.

Malachite closed his eyes, focusing on Mina's injury. _I won't lose you,_ he vowed. _Not when I've just realized how much you mean to me. _Golden light issued from his palm.

—- ——- ——- —

Rei paced back and forth in Serenity's sitting room like a caged tiger, her violet eyes all but shooting sparks. _I should have sense the danger sooner!_ she berated herself. _If I'd been doing my job, I would have realized Serenity was in danger and Mina wouldn't have—wouldn't have…_she faltered and trailed off.

They didn't know if Mina was dead or alive.

She closed her eyes. True, Malachite had rushed her off somewhere, presumably to the Healers, but the sheer…unadulterated _evil_ pouring in waves off of that knife filled her with foreboding.

A resounding CRACK echoed through the room and she whipped around. Serenity and Ami, both seated on the couch, let out yelps of surprise.

Lita, her face darker than one Jupiter's thunderclouds, had just punched the wall. "I should have seen him," she muttered thickly. "I should have done something." She was on the verge of either tears or a violent explosion.

"There was nothing you could have done," a voice said softly.

They all looked around as Endymion came through the door, followed by Nephrite, Jadeite, and Zoicite. Their faces were grim; the festivities of the evening completely forgotten.

"Who was he?" Rei demanded, her smoldering gaze flicking over each of them in turn.

Endymion shook his head. "Not now," he said firmly.

Rei switched topics, too worried to wonder about his reluctance to divulge any information. "Where is Mina? Is she all right?"

Jadeite took a few steps towards her, reaching out to rest his hands on her shoulders. "We haven't had a chance to find out yet." He did not show surprise when she jerked her body out of his grasp.

"Where is she?" Lita asked, her pleading green eyes resting on her husband.

"Mal probably took her to the Healers' Wing. We'll escort you there." Zoicite wrapped an arm around Ami as she stood.

Serenity made to get up, but Endymion stopped her. "You're not going anywhere yet."

"But, Endy! Mina—" Tears leaked out of Serenity's blue eyes. "She saved my life!"

"And I'm sure she wouldn't want you to risk it until we know the palace is safe," Endymion countered. "That assassin may not have been alone. I promise," he said in a gentler voice, "we'll go see her as soon as it's safe."

Serenity subsided, but her face was miserable as she watched the others leave.

Halfway through the door, Rei froze. She whipped around, narrowly avoiding ramming into Jadeite, and advanced on Endymion. "What about Serenity?" she demanded. "One of us has to stay with her."

Endymion met the Martian princess's fiery violet gaze full on without flinching. "Nothing's going to happen to her," he said firmly. "She's not leaving my sight. A detachment of guards will be here momentarily to keep an eye on this hall. There's no need for any of you to stay."

Rei's eyes flashed, but Serenity spoke before she could open her mouth.

"Go to Mina," she said softly. "Go for me. I couldn't—I couldn't bear it if she—if she—" she broke off, burying her face in her hands. Endymion wrapped his arms around her, his blue eyes still fixed on Rei.

Rei stared at her for a moment before dipping her head in a tight nod. "As you wish, Princess." Head held high, she pivoted and stalked out of the room.

Shaking his head, Jadeite fell into step beside her.

—- ——- ——- —

It was a silent, hurried walk to the Healers' Wing. No one felt like talking; they were each wrapped up in their private thoughts and recriminations.

A rather shaken-looking Healer greeted them with a hasty curtsey.

"Where are General Malachite and Princess Mina?" Nephrite asked.

The Healer began to twist her hands together. "Down the hall," she answered. "He won't let me help. He said there was nothing we could do for her. General, please—please reason with him before it's too late!"

Ami let out a whimper and Zoicite's arm tightened around her.

Rei charged forward. "Take us to them!" she demanded.

The Healer obeyed, but she stopped outside the door. "The General told me to leave. He doesn't wish to be disturbed."

Jadeite nodded. "We understand. Return to your duties."

She dipped a curtsey and departed, casting anxious glances over her shoulder.

Rei reached to open the door, but Jadeite blocked her way. "You can't go in yet," he said quietly.

Her eyes went wide with surprise before narrowing with anger. "Why not?"

Zoicite stepped up beside the blond General. "Because if he's doing what we think he's doing, a distraction of any kind could prove fatal to Princess Mina."

Ami's brow furrowed as she stared at her husband. "What are you saying?" She searched her memory for some mention of Earth possessing advanced medical equipment, but found nothing.

Zoicite glanced at Jadeite and Nephrite, who both gave him fractional nods. "I'm saying he is attempting to heal her and distractions make it that much more difficult for him to focus."

"How is that possible?" Ami whispered through suddenly stiff lips. "I've never heard of Terrans possessing powers like that.".

Zoicite shook his head. "It's a long story. One best suited to another time," he added grimly.

Rei glared at him, but quickly shifted her glare to Jadeite, who was still blocking the door. "I need to see her."

Jadeite's face softened, his blue eyes watching her with mingled compassion and misery. "Not yet."

Rei held his gaze a few seconds more and then spun on her heel and stalked off down the hall without another word.

Lita looked up at Nephrite. "Can he save her?"

Nephrite wrapped his arms around her. "He'll do his best." He closed his eyes, resting his chin on the top of her head. The stars had been right about Mina's danger, but he had not expected this.

Tears still dripping down her face, Ami looked at Jadeite, who stood frozen at the door, his gaze fixed on the end of the hall Rei had taken. "She needs you, Jadeite," she said softly. "She won't admit it, but she does."

The blond general met her eyes briefly. Then he inclined his head slightly and strode off down the hall. Rei had done her best to close down her connection to him, but her emotions were running rampant. Fear, anger, sorrow, and guilt leaked through the walls she had put up.

She had not gone far. He found her huddled on the floor around the corner, her face in her hands. Kneeling beside her, he gently pried her hands free. Rei tried to pull away, but he held her fast. "It's not your fault, Rei. It's not your fault," he repeated.

Shock was written all over her face at his words.

"We did the best we could to prepare for disaster. There wasn't anything else you or I or anyone could have done. Even Endymion didn't see that man and you know he'd give his life for Serenity."

Rei tried to speak, but the words stuck in her throat, choking her. Jadeite's arms wrapped around her and she buried her face in his chest, finally allowing herself to cry.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite could feel time slipping away and he knew Mina's life was going with it. The knowledge should have filled him with desperation, but all he felt was a kind of quiet determination. She was his wife—the woman he had finally, irrevocably, learned he loved—and he would not lose her. Not now.

He concentrated harder, putting every ounce of energy into the effort to stop the bleeding and mend the wound. All of his strength, willpower, and this new feeling inside him called love. The golden light he emitted grew brighter and brighter, before finally winking out, plunging the room into semi-darkness once more.

The world swam back into focus as Malachite opened his eyes. Hardly daring to breathe, he looked down at Mina. She lay motionless, her long golden hair spread about her, but the color had returned to her cheeks and the gaping hole that had been pouring out her lifeblood was gone. He leaned forward and curled his fingers about her wrist. Her pulse beat pleasantly against his thumb.

She was alive.

Malachite was so relieved he actually felt weak in the knees. With his free hand, he brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. He smiled faintly._ She's alive._

His exhilaration was short-lived. Exhaustion from the amount of energy he had expended kicked in and he slumped beside her bed as he lost consciousness.

—- ——- ——- —

When Rei and Jadeite rejoined the others, the Martian princess immediately asked, "Have you checked on them yet?"

Zoicite shook his head.

"Well," Rei continued briskly, "I think it's time. He's been in there long enough." She made for the door.

Zoicite glanced at Jadeite, who simply shrugged. "I agree with her," he said.

"He hasn't done this in some time," Nephrite added. He didn't need to say anything else—his friends knew what he meant.

Rei cautiously opened the door and they all peeked inside. By the light of a guttering candle, they could see Malachite half-lying on the bed beside Mina. Both were unmoving.

Ami slipped past the others and rushed to check their pulses. She looked up with a watery smile. "They're both alive."

"Did he do it?" Lita demanded, a catch in her voice.

Ami simply nodded.

Lita threw her arms around Nephrite's neck and hugged him tightly. "He saved her," she sobbed, overcome with relief.

Jadeite moved over to stand beside Malachite, whose hand firmly grasped Mina's. "Think there's room on this bed for two?" he asked Zoicite

The other man nodded. "I'll get his feet." Together, they lifted Malachite onto the bed, stretching him out carefully beside Mina.

"Endymion's going to want to see him as soon as he wakes up," Nephrite observed a moment later. "Someone should stay with them."

"Couldn't you get the Healer—" Rei began, but Jadeite shook his head.

"They don't know," he said flatly. "Malachite never told them what he could do."

"It's not something to be taken lightly," Zoicite added, his green eyes concerned.

"I'll stay here," Ami offered. She settled into the room's lone chair. "I have a book to read. I'll keep watch until one of them wakes up."

Lita stared at Ami, one hand going to her hips. "You brought a book _again_? To _this_ ball?"

Ami blushed. "Old habits die hard," she mumbled.

The Jovian princess threw her hands up in the air. "I surrender."

Looking faintly puzzled, Nephrite addressed Ami, "Thank you, Princess." He tugged a spluttering Zoicite out of the room as they left. "You'll survive a few hours without her company."

Nettled, Zoicite shot back, "I don't see you leaving _your_ wife in there."

Jadeite winked at Ami as he closed the door. She merely smiled and opened her book.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite awoke several hours later, severely disoriented. For a few seconds, he stared up at the ceiling in bewilderment. Then he turned his head and saw Mina.

Everything rushed back to him.

He raised himself up on one elbow, looking down at her. He wasn't sure if she was still unconscious or merely asleep, but her breathing was steady. Realizing he still held her hand, he lifted it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. The thought of how close he had come to losing her was sobering.

Ami, her face tinged pink at her intrusion into this obviously rare appearance of Malachite's other side, resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably in her chair. She didn't want to embarrass Malachite, yet she could think of no polite way to let him know she was there.

The decision was taken out of her hands as, feeling her eyes on him, he looked up. His face wore an unreadable expression, but he seemed neither displeased nor surprised to find her there.

Ami swallowed. "Thank you for saving her," she said softly. "It would have killed us to lose her."

"I know." He did, he really did. It would have killed him too.

"How…" Ami bit her lip, debating with herself, and then plunged ahead. "How did you heal her?"

Malachite shook his head. "It's a gift I was born with. I don't know where it came from." He fingered Mina's hair. This was the closest he had ever been to her, and the irony was not lost on him. "Do you think she'll wake up soon?"

Ami was surprised by the hopeful, yet uncertain tone in his voice. In the time she had known Malachite, he had never been anything less than confident, always keeping his emotions in check. "I'm sure she will," she said gently. "Mina's always been strong. Just like you." She smiled at him before leaving to ask the Healer to send someone for General Jadeite.

"Mal!" Jadeite exclaimed in a low voice as he entered the room. "We were wondering when you'd get enough beauty sleep."

Malachite gave him a look, but knew the younger man's light words masked his concern.

"Endymion wants to talk to you about the assassin."

The silver-haired general nodded—he had seen that coming. He got up from the bed, grimacing at the way the world threatened to spin around him, and took one last look at his sleeping wife.

"Don't worry," Ami said softly. "I'll take good care of her."

Malachite bowed to her and followed Jadeite out the door, before he stopped short. "The knife," he murmured. He should probably take that with him so they could examine it. His eyes swept around the room, searching for it, but oddly, it was nowhere to be found.

And then he saw the little heap of dust on the floor.

His mouth tight, Malachite ignored Jadeite's puzzled face and Ami's curious expression and swept the dust into his handkerchief with the blade of a dagger he pulled from his boot. Then he straightened and marched out of the room. This did not bode well.

—- ——- ——- —

Some time later, Mina awoke to find herself in a dimly-lit room. She was tired, so very tired, yet strangely without pain. _That's odd,_ she thought fuzzily. _I could have sworn I was dying. Wait, I _was_ dying. What am I doing back here?_

"Mina!" Ami's voice, sounding both happy and relieved, broke through the haze surrounding her. "I'm so happy you're awake. We were worried about you."

Mina blinked up at Ami, her face twisting with pain. "How could you do this to me? Why didn't you let me die?"

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite hurried through the palace's empty corridors, feeling some of his strength return to him. In addition to debriefing him, Endymion insisted he eat before he returned to Mina. Just as he turned the corner and reached Mina's room, he heard Ami happily exclaim her name.

His heart leaped for joy. Quickly, he reached to push the door open, but Mina's words froze him in his tracks.

—- ——- ——- —

"What?"

Ami gasped, sure she had misheard her friend.

"Why didn't you let me die?" Mina repeated. Her voice was soft, but had a bitter edge neither Ami nor Malachite had ever heard there before.

"Mina, what do you mean?" Ami shook her head, her navy eyes filled with concern. "I don't understand."

"You wouldn't," Mina said bitterly. She turned her face away to hide the tears she could no longer control. Desperately, she tried to summon the happy façade that had fooled everyone for so long, but it refused to come. She was too tired.

Ami sank down on the edge of the bed, realizing there was something seriously wrong with her friend. They had all known she was not as happy as she pretended, but they had not known how bad things truly were. "Mina, try me, please," she said gently.

Mina closed her eyes, tears still streaming down her face. She didn't want Ami to know how weak she had been…how hopeless she had become. Unfortunately, the feelings and words had been bottled up too long for her to hold them in any longer.

"You, Rei, Lita, and Serenity are so lucky," she confessed in a rush. "You're married your soul mates. I've known you were meant for each other ever since the ball the first night they were on the Moon. But I…I married a man who hates me."

Ami's eyes widened. "Malachite doesn't—"

"Yes, he does!" Mina struggled to sit up. "He thinks I'm a vapid flirt capable of nothing more than to be a bit of fluff decorating the palace. Mala—" she stumbled painfully over his name, "Malachite can't stand to look at me or—or touch me. He'd be just as happy if I did die because then he wouldn't have to go through all the bother of putting up with me!" She was breathing heavily, raw pain pressing at her throat.

"I just want to be loved!" she exploded. "I want to be married to someone who loves me!" She looked at Ami and demanded angrily, "Is that such a terrible thing to want?"

—- ——- ——- —

Outside, Malachite closed his eyes and leaned up against the wall. _What have I done?_ Mina's pain-filled words cut him to the heart. He had been denying his feelings for her for months, pushing her away every time she got close, and he had been too blind to see how badly his actions were hurting her. In that instant, he perceived with crystal-clear clarity the other half of Mina's personality. The half that hid unhappiness and pain away so well that even her closest friends hadn't seen it.

The tiny hope he had nurtured since he woke up that they could start over, that perhaps she would come to love him as well, flickered out and died. There was no hope left. He'd strangled it by his silence, choked it on harsh words. _How could I have been so stupid?_

He was dimly aware that Ami was speaking now, but his world was spinning and it was difficult to concentrate on her words.

He heard them anyway.

—- ——- ——- —

Ami waited until Mina's torrent of speech slowed. _Talk about the course of true love not running smoothly,_ she thought wryly. They were both entirely too stubborn for their own good. Aloud she said gently, yet with a firmness she usually reserved for use during Serenity's lessons, "Mina, Malachite has been a blind, pig-headed, stubborn man who would not or could not see what was right in front of him. There's no denying that. However, I think you're wrong about him. He cares for you."

Mina started to retort, her eyes flashing, but Ami cut her off. "No, Mina, you're going to listen to me. When he realized you took that knife for Serenity, you should have seen his face. He was as pale as a ghost. He didn't care about the person who threw it; he charged through to you and carried you off to the Healers before any of us could gather our wits about us."

Ami's voice softened. "But they couldn't help you, Mina. He used his healing ability to save you. If he hadn't, you _would_ be dead. And he nearly killed himself in the process."

Mina's eyes were wide with shock.

"So," Ami continued, glad to see some of the bitterness and anger had faded from her friend's face, "Don't give up on him yet. I mean that quite seriously." She held Mina's gaze and then picked up her book and left, her knees a little wobbly.

After she had gone, Mina weakly curled into a ball. _So that's why I'm not dead._ She stared at the wall blankly, too exhausted to cry anymore. _He doesn't love me. He can't. I wasn't meant to find love. Why would he save me?_

—- ——- ——- —

Ami pretended she hadn't seen Malachite standing outside Mina's room looking like he'd been hit with a bolt of lightning. Obviously he had overheard their conversation. _Good,_ she thought._ Now he knows how much he's hurt her, she knows how much he cares, and they can get a fresh start on things._

Musing on this, she left the Healers' Wing and wandered along the corridors until she was suddenly seized and held tightly by a pair of strong arms. Her book tumbled from her hands, but it never hit the floor.

"How is she?" Zoicite asked as he caught the book in one hand.

Ami twisted in his embrace and looped her arms around his neck. "She's awake now, and I think she and Malachite are going to have a talk."

Zoicite snorted. "About time. Though," he added thoughtfully, "it's a shame it took something like this to make it happen." He looked down at her. "Love, do you realize it's nearly dawn?"

"Is that why I'm so tired?"

"It is. Why don't we retire before someone else finds a way to keep us apart?"

Ami delicately stifled a yawn. "An excellent idea, husband. Lead the way." She tucked her arm through his with a tired smile.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite wasn't sure how much time passed before he gathered his thoughts and pushed open the door to Mina's room. When he entered, he found Mina huddled in the middle of the bed. Her eyes were closed, but there was such a look of acute misery on her face that it hurt to look at her. He wanted her to smile again.

_How do I show her that I love her?_ he wondered. _And if I did, would she believe me?_ Swallowing a sudden lump in his throat, he knelt beside the bed. "Mina?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she focused on him slowly. It was a trick of the light, she decided, that his lavender eyes held so much concern. "Yes?" Her voice came out more weakly than she would have liked.

"How are you?" His voice was equally soft, and laden with things she had never heard there before.

"Tired," she admitted. "But otherwise, I'm all right." She studied him, noticing against her will how tired he looked. "How is Serenity?"

"She's been worried about you, but she'll be happy to know you're better." Malachite's lips twitched. "Endymion could barely keep her from camping out by your bedside." His eyes skimmed her body, looking for anything amiss. Her dress was bloodstained, but he didn't see anything on her skin. Ami must have cleaned her up while he was away.

Mina was silent for a moment, trying to find the courage to ask the question burning on the tip of her tongue. "Why did you save me?"

The question caught Malachite off-guard, though he knew he should have expected to hear it. Wildly, he searched for the right words. Would she believe the truth? "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you," he said finally.

Mina's lips twisted. _It's just his guilt talking._

When she didn't say anything, Malachite asked, "Why did you jump in front of Serenity? Surely you could have—"

She cut him off. "There was no other way. It's my duty to protect her."

Malachite let that oddity pass for the moment. "And it's my duty to protect you. I failed," he added quietly.

Mina misinterpreted his words and her face hardened. _Ami's wrong. He doesn't see me as anything more than a duty._ "You didn't fail," she said flatly. "Admit it, Malachite, your life really would be much happier if I weren't around."

His lavender eyes darkened to grey as he stared back at her. "You truly believe that?"

"You've never given me any reason not to believe it," she retorted. Another wave of weariness washed over her and she closed her eyes, missing the stricken look on his face.

Malachite could not reply. What was there to say? She was right. He may have had an epiphany after nearly losing her, but she didn't know that and he didn't know how to explain it. He rose to his feet and left without a word. _I need time to think._

Mina heard him walk out, but did not open her eyes. Sleep was beckoning to her tired body, offering a release from the confused mass of thoughts swirling around inside her brain. She drifted off into an uneasy slumber, tossing and turning restlessly. In her dreams, Malachite was everywhere she turned. She couldn't escape him, and yet, when she reached out for him, he slipped through her fingers like mist.

* * *

:ducks the fruit, shoes, and other assorted projectiles being thrown at her: Yes, I know! Angst, drama, and more angst! Don't worry—there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Part 8 contains the moment we've all been waiting for. So hang in there. And don't forget to let me know what you thought—reviews are brain food, after all.

Cheers!


	9. Part 8: Hope Springs Eternal

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Sailor Moon, never have, never will. :( I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN_: It lives! I am so sorry this chapter has taken me so long to get up. The past year and a half have been crazy, what with work, drama of the male persuasion, and everything else that happened…not to mention getting stuck on a few key scenes. (Mina and Malachite couldn't make up their minds.) Then after I finally managed to get this to my beta, she pointed out a couple of plot holes I missed and I had to rethink a few things again. At any rate, it's done and I am so much happier with the way it's turned out.

To everyone who has taken the time to review, both here and at dotmoon--thank you, thank you, thank you!! You've encouraged me, guilt-tripped me, and otherwise reminded me that people are still reading this story and I need to finish it. So thank you. :)

Special thanks also go to artistamonique, DaughterofBastet, Goddess Usagi, xxeclipse-of-the-soulxx, Elen-Di, Suzums63, skyhighdreamer, myconstant, Zylvie Meinfield, S01, L.5914, and Kazeijiu Fuuka for all of your PMs encouraging me to get off my butt and post. I appreciate it.

And, as always, thanks go to Dejana Talis for being a fabulous beta reader.

Also, while I haven't had anyone bring this matter up recently, I probably ought to mention it because it did cause some confusion a few years ago. Though I have read (and thoroughly enjoyed) Iryl's "A Study of Venus", FLOD is in no way shape or form based on it, nor did I take any of Iryl's ideas and change them around for my own purposes. FLOD is entirely my own creation, and any similarities between it and "Study of Venus" are completely coincidental. They're two SilMil stories utilizing the same characters in totally different ways.

Finally, if you haven't read any of A. Cullen's Senshi/Shitennou fanfics, you need to do so ASAP. They're good.

Hope y'all enjoy!

_"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." ~ Psalm 30:5 NIV_

* * *

**For Love......or Duty**

**Part 8:**

**Hope Springs Eternal**

"Do you have any idea how we're going to explain this? Everyone wants to know what happened. You can't just keep her under guard and never allow the Healers in to see her! We're drawing enough suspicion as it is."

"I don't intend to keep her here."

"Maybe we could pass this off as the product of some kind of Venusian healing technique…or better, a Mercurian technique."

"…"

"No, no, that won't work. We'd never be able to duplicate it if someone asked."

"Keep it down. She's still asleep."

"My apologies. Perhaps we could simply refuse to explain and let everyone think it was a miracle."

"No one with a modicum of sense would believe it."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"I may."

"…well?"

"We'll need to discuss it with the Prince first."

Mina awoke slowly, drawn back to consciousness by the hushed conversation taking place at the other end of the room. _What are men doing in my room?_ she wondered groggily. _Malachite will—_

Malachite.

His name snapped her to awareness and she recognized the voices. Unwilling to deal with either Malachite or Zoicite at that moment, she lay still and pretended to be asleep. It was not difficult; she felt drained. The flood of memories from the past day dancing through her mind did not help.

A moment later, light footsteps moved across the room and stopped. "Are you coming?" Zoicite asked.

_Say yes,_ Mina thought. _There's no reason to stay. I'm not ready to face you yet._

"In a moment," Malachite replied quietly, and Mina suppressed a sigh.

She heard the door open and close as Zoicite left, and then more footsteps and the faint swish of a cape as Malachite approached her bed. She continued to feign sleep, but she was well aware of his presence beside her. _What is he doing?_

Her question was answered when gentle fingers smoothed her hair and a warm, calloused hand suddenly cupped the side of her face. It took all her willpower not to react—his touch sent sparks shooting through her nerves. She struggled to keep her breathing steady as his thumb brushed her cheekbone and prayed he wouldn't hear the pounding of her heart.

She didn't know why he was touching her, but he mustn't know she was awake. Not yet.

Malachite placed a light kiss upon her forehead and withdrew his hand. Then he exited the room, closing the door silently behind him.

After he left, Mina lay there for a few moments, absolutely stunned. _Am I dreaming? _She wondered hazily. _What's come over him?_

Ami's words drifted back through her mind. _He cares for you._

Mina shook her head in mute denial. _He doesn't. He can't._ But, remembering the concern she had seen swirling in his eyes during their last conversation, her thoughts trailed off into uncertainty.

_It's pointless to keep torturing myself,_ she decided finally, opening her eyes and easing her body into a sitting position. When she was comfortably propped up against the headboard, she took a look around.

She was still in the Healer's Wing and, judging by the bright sunshine outside, it was at least noon. Running a hand through her hair, which was, she noted, in dire need of a brush, she glanced down at herself and made a face. The front of her bodice was torn and stained reddish-brown from her blood. It was not a pretty sight. Why hadn't anyone changed her gown?

Her fingers hovered over the tear in the fabric as she mustered the courage to examine the scar that must be lurking beneath. She took a deep breath. _You're alive,_ she reminded herself. _What's a little scar to that?_ Still, she couldn't help biting her lip as she pushed the fabric aside and found…

…absolutely nothing.

She blinked in surprise. Her skin bore no mark, not even a bruise. If it weren't for the fact that she was obviously in the Healer's Wing, she might have thought she imagined the knife burying itself in her chest. _Ami said he used his healing ability to save me. How? I didn't even know he _had_ a healing ability._

Pondering that question brought back the rest of their talk and then her thoughts promptly continued on to her conversation with Malachite. _What did he mean when he said he wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to me? _In the light of day it almost sounded like—_No_, Mina decided abruptly, _it wasn't._ She rubbed her temples. Reading too much into his words would not end well. _You _know_ that_, she reminded herself.

Forcing her thoughts away from Malachite, Mina glanced out the window. Her eyes fell on a pitcher and goblet standing on a table beneath it and she suddenly realized how thirsty she was. Pushing back the covers, she swung her legs out of bed and stood. _So far so good._

She managed one step before the world spun madly around her like a child's toy and her legs buckled beneath her, refusing to hold her weight. She collapsed to the floor in a heap. Resting her head against the side of the bed, she closed her eyes and prayed the dizziness would stop. _I thought…I thought he healed me…_

Mina was not aware of how much time passed before the door swung open again and Malachite strode into the room carrying a tray. He took one look at her lying crumpled on the floor beside the bed and hastened to her side. Setting the tray on the table, he knelt beside her and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mina, are you all right? What happened?"

Still fighting dizziness, Mina opened her eyes and waved a hand weakly. "I tried to get some water," she murmured. She was well aware of how silly it sounded.

"You shouldn't be up yet," he admonished, his deep voice oddly gentle. "You lost a great deal of energy last night and your body will be weak for several days." He looked down at her pale face, feeling the knot that had clenched his heart slowly relax. _Don't scare me like that,_ he wanted to tell her.

Shaking his head slightly, Malachite slipped one arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees. He lifted her effortlessly and settled her back in the bed, pulling the covers up around her with more care than she would have expected. Then he filled the goblet with water and placed it in her hands.

The water was cool and sweet; Mina drank it gratefully. "Thank you," she said when she finished.

Malachite reached for the tray he had been carrying. "Do you think you can eat?"

It took Mina only a few seconds to realize her dizziness had passed and she was in fact ravenous. Her face brightened.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'," he said dryly, to cover the sudden surge of pleasure her smile brought him. He placed the tray on her lap, his hand not-so-accidentally brushing hers in the process.

Once again, Mina felt sparks. She was not quite able to meet his eyes as she murmured, "Thank you."

Malachite inclined his head. "You are welcome."

For a long moment, he stood there watching her. And yet, Mina noted as her gaze flicked up to him once, he was not looking at her so much as _through_ her. Something else clearly occupied his attention.

Regardless, it was disconcerting to feel his eyes on her and a mass of butterflies awoke in her stomach. Her appetite dwindled and all she could do with her food was poke at it nervously. _What is he doing?_

Presently, Malachite snapped out of his reverie. "The Princesses have requested to see you. Are you feeling up to visitors?"

Mina looked up quickly and found herself meeting his eyes. "Serenity as well?" she inquired. As much as she wanted to see the Moon Princess, she wouldn't be able to interrogate her friends as to what had happened if she was present.

"No, I believe Her Highness is still abed."

"Good." Mina didn't realize she had spoken aloud until she saw one of Malachite's silver eyebrows tilt upward. She waved her fork with a blithe smile. "I'm sure Serenity needs her rest after all the excitement last night."

It was difficult to tell whether or not he believed her, but all he said was, "Indeed."

"Are they here now?"

Malachite considered her a few seconds. "I'll send them in if you like."

"Please do."

He crossed to the door, his cape fluttering behind him, but stopped with his hand on the doorknob and looked back over his shoulder at her. His lavender eyes were serious, swirling with the same strange concern she'd seen earlier. "Don't try to get up again," he said quietly. "You are not strong enough."

Then he was gone.

A few minutes later, though it felt like an eternity to Mina, the door opened again and Ami, Lita and Rei entered.

Their faces were so somber that Mina dropped her fork in surprise. "What's happened?" she demanded.

"It's all right," Ami hastened to assure her. "They haven't decided yet how to explain your healing, so Malachite told us to be very quiet when we came in, as though we expected to find you quite ill. He's posted a guard at the door as well."

"Oh." Feeling rather relieved, Mina waved them into the room and patted her bed. "Have a seat."

"How are you feeling?" Ami asked, tucking a lock of sapphire-blue hair behind her ear.

Mina shrugged and smiled slightly. "Better. I'm tired, but I think I'll live." She looked around at her friends' rather grim expressions and raised an eyebrow. "You didn't come in here just to check on me, did you?" She didn't bother hiding her pleasure.

Rei shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I talked to Jadeite—"

"I talked to Nephrite," Lita put in.

"And I talked to Zoicite," Ami added softly.

"—and we've managed to piece together what they know about the assassin," Rei finished crisply.

"Which is precious little," Lita grumbled.

Mina leaned forward, a serious, suddenly predatory glint in her blue eyes. "Tell me."

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite had duties that required his attention while the princesses visited Mina, but he returned as soon as he was finished. Resolution coursed through every inch of his body. He'd had a great deal of time to think since his disastrous conversation with Mina and it forced him to realize that something between them had irrevocably changed.

He loved her—it was inescapable fact.

At present, he was quite certain she held no such love for him. The thought gave him pause, but he merely squared his jaw and reminded himself it was his own fault. The distance between them was all his doing.

But—he had a vague glimmer of hope. Mina had told Princess Ami she wanted to be loved. She wanted to be treasured and cherished. _I can do that,_ he thought.

Malachite had no doubts courting her—gaining both her trust and affections—would take time. It would likely be difficult, and he was sure there would be bumps along the way. He couldn't begin to fathom the way her mind worked, but he was willing to give it a try.

His steps slowed as he neared her room. At long last, he knew what he wanted. He wanted Mina to greet him with the same look of love he so often saw Serenity bestow upon Endymion. He wanted the quiet conversation Zoi and Ami exchanged and the simmering playfulness he saw between Jade and Rei. He wanted the comfortable contentment and devotion Neph and Lita exuded.

In short, he wanted them to be truly husband and wife.

He found Mina propped up in bed, twiddling her fingers. Her lower lip was caught between her teeth and she worried it absently while staring blankly out the window. She seemed lost in thought and it was a few seconds before she turned to see who had entered.

"Malachite," she said, her voice a strange blend of relief and trepidation.

He found he much preferred this reaction. "How are you?" he asked, moving closer.

She tilted her head to one side. "Still a little tired."

He nodded and stopped by the window, seemingly engrossed by the leaves visible through the lattice.

Mina was happy to see him—there were several burning questions foremost in her mind—but she happened to meet his lavender gaze once and the conflicting emotions there gave her pause. She couldn't decipher them. She began twisting her fingers together anxiously and then stopped as she realized what she was doing. _Ask now,_ she reminded herself. _Ask while he's here and while you still have the courage._ "Malachite?"

"Yes?" He turned to her, a faint, questioning look on his face.

Mina swallowed; her mouth had suddenly gone dry. "How—" she cleared her throat and began anew. "How did you heal me?"

Malachite considered her a moment. He had been wondering if she would be curious. "I was born with a gift," he said with a shrug.

Mina waited for him to elaborate, but he did not. _Well, that was…informative._ Brushing aside an odd, almost anticlimactic feeling, she moved on to her next question. "How long am I to stay here?"

It was a good question. Fortunately, Malachite had an answer. "Would you like to return to your room?"

She nodded, her blue eyes steadily meeting his gaze.

"Well, then, Princess," he said briskly, "there is no reason for you to remain. Can you stand?"

Mina pushed back the covers. "I think so." She got to her feet slowly and found the world did not spin as much as it had previously done. A small, triumphant smile flashed across her face, only to be replaced by confusion as something was draped over her shoulders. Startled, she looked up to find Malachite had removed his cape and was wrapping her in its gray folds. Blinking, she stared at him. "Mal—"

"We've decided to let it be known that you were slightly injured," the silver-haired man said calmly, casually brushing her hair out of the way, as though he did this sort of thing every day. "Nothing serious, but enough to keep you in bed for a few days." And before Mina could ask what he was doing, Malachite scooped her up in his arms—cape and all—and carried her to the door.

Mina suppressed a gasp as she was lifted into the air, but the tension gradually leaked from her body. Malachite's arms were both strong and comforting, and in her tired state it was very easy to just let her eyes slide shut and enjoy the ride. Besides, it was unlikely she would ever be this close to him again. _Best to make the most of it_, she thought wearily.

Malachite was acutely aware of the moment Mina relaxed against him. He looked down at her face, taking in the curve of her mouth and the sweep of her eyelashes against her cheek and found himself swallowing a lump in his throat. There was something so fragile about her at this moment; as if she was a delicate piece of china he hardly dared to touch for fear of breaking her. It still shocked him how close he had come to losing her altogether.

They attracted a great deal of attention on their journey—most of it silent gawking. No one dared whisper aloud. Malachite was fully aware that palace gossip would be running rampant now, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He loved Mina, and if the whole world knew it, so much the better. Perhaps it would help convince her.

When Malachite reached the door to their quarters, he found himself wishing he had further to go. Nonetheless, he swung the door open and carried his wife into her own room, where he gently deposited her onto her bed. As he unfolded a blanket and spread it over her, he missed the way Mina's eyes fluttered open and the puzzled look she bestowed upon him.

He started back to his own room for a small satchel of medical supplies he always kept on hand, but he had barely reached his desk when a muffled thud, much like that of a body hitting a hard surface, immediately captured his attention. Without a moment's pause, he spun on his heel and rushed back. The sight before him sent a wave of irritation coursing through his veins.

Mina lay sprawled on the floor. She had evidently attempted to rise and discovered the hard way that she was incapable of walking. Not to be deterred, however, she rose to her knees.

"If I can't walk, at least I can crawl," she said to herself, almost cheerfully.

And to Malachite's astonishment, crawl she did, half-way across the room, until her body was moving faster than her skirt and she promptly fell flat on her face. He started, but Mina merely lifted her head and pushed a few wayward locks of golden hair out of her face with a grimace.

"I hate dresses," she muttered. "I hate dresses, I HATE DRESSES!" She smacked the floor with her hand for added emphasis, grimacing again.

The grimace—that of pain—shook Malachite out of his frozen stupor and he stepped forward. Grasping Mina by her arms, he gently raised her to her feet and slid a supporting arm around her waist. "Ladies should never need to crawl," he said quietly in her ear.

His deep, husky voice sent chills down Mina's spine, but she forced the embarrassed blush rising in her cheeks to return whence it came and said petulantly, "They do if they can't walk."

"I see." Malachite gave her a grave little nod, though one corner of his mouth was twitching suspiciously. His irritation was all but gone. "If I may…" he motioned to the bed.

Slightly confused, Mina tilted her head to one side, but before she could say anything, Malachite had scooped her up again and was settling her once more in the bed.

"I trust you have a good explanation for getting up?" he asked, rather mildly.

She scowled. "I was trying to find clothes without bloodstains." She looked down at her ruined bodice and wrinkled her nose. "I can't stand to wear this any longer." Inspiration struck and her face brightened. She turned eager blue eyes to Malachite. "Would you be so kind as to fetch my maid?"

To her surprise, he frowned. "That won't do, Princess. We'll have to attend to your wound first."

Mina stared at him. "But I don't—" she began, before breaking off. "Oh, I see."

"I dislike the deception," Malachite said, distaste evident in his voice, "but unfortunately, we must have evidence of injury."

"You're sure no one's going to be curious as to why I am not at death's door?"

Malachite's lavender gaze rested on her for a few seconds, as if he was surprised by the alacrity with which she had grasped this. In truth, he was merely thinking again how much he had underestimated her and wondering what other surprises lay beyond that lovely face. "Quite sure."

Mina nodded. _It makes sense, I suppose._

The silver-haired General disappeared into his room for a moment and then returned with the satchel. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside her and pulled out a tightly rolled bandage. "You'll need to wear this for a few days," he said.

She regarded it briefly before looking up at him. "Are you going to apply it?" Her stomach had started twisting itself into knots again and even a twinge of amusement at the sheer absurdity of the entire situation could not alleviate it.

By way of answer, he said, "I hope this dress is not one of your favorites."

That was an understatement if Mina had ever heard one. She hesitated and then shook her head once. "I never want to see it again." There were far too many bad memories bound up in that dress.

He nodded, but made no movement of any kind. After a moment, he said quietly, almost awkwardly, "I'm going to have to cut your sleeve open. We've let it be known your shoulder was injured."

Mina's cheeks pinked a little, but she thought she managed to retain her composure. His proximity and the confusing mass of emotions he evoked were playing merry havoc with her nerves. She lifted her chin. "Very well, then. Proceed, General."

Malachite produced a slender dagger. He caught her eye, trying his best to convey that he meant her no harm, and slit the fabric of her sleeve. Mina immediately grasped the front of her bodice and held it in place on that side. _This is truly torture,_ she thought, fighting the rising heat in her face. _You're angry at him,_ she tried to remind herself. _He doesn't love you. He never will. Stop reacting like this._

For his part, Malachite worked as quickly as he could, oblivious to the fact that the merest brush of his fingers left tingling trails on her skin. He did notice her pulse was beating rapidly in the hollow of her milky throat and rightly surmised she was nervous. Suddenly he frowned.

"What?" Mina asked in spite of herself.

He looked at her. "In order to properly secure this bandage, I'll need to cut your other sleeve as well." He watched her eyes widen and then narrow.

"Do what you must," she said simply.

In a moment, it was done, and Mina sat holding her bodice up with both hands. Her body was tense and there were two pink spots high on her cheekbones, but she was otherwise quite calm.

Malachite suppressed a sigh. _I can't blame her for that. Anyone would be uncomfortable in such a position._ Abruptly he said, "Where do you keep your night clothes?"

Slightly taken aback, Mina blinked at him. "I beg your pardon?"

He gave her an impatient look. "Your night clothes. You can't spend the rest of the day like that."

She opened her mouth, intending to tell him she had no intentions of remaining thus and that everything would be fine once he summoned her maid, but not a word came. She finally closed her mouth and peered at him intently.

Somewhat surprised by his offer himself, and unsure what the thoughtful look on her face meant, Malachite crossed to an armoire by the window. He pulled open the doors and was met by a bevy of glittering dresses. Frowning at them, he asked over his shoulder, "What do you need?"

Mina was still staring at him. _He's serious. I never would have thought—_ She blinked once, twice, and then lifted her shoulders in a prosaic little shrug. _If he's not discomfited by handling my clothes, then there's no sense in me being embarrassed about it._

She settled back against the pillows and said, "My negligees are in the armoire next to that one."

Without a word, Malachite closed the doors and stepped over to the other armoire. This one held dresses as well, but there were also a number of items made from a variety of light, silky, and occasionally frail-looking fabrics. As none of them were the kind of clothing a respectable woman would wear anywhere other than the privacy of her own room, he concluded they must be Mina_'s_ _negligees_—whatever those were.

A soft, translucent-looking silver caught his eye and he pulled it out, taking great care not to damage it. A stray corner of his mind thought Mina would look beautiful in it. _Don't journey there,_ he warned himself as he turned to her and raised a questioning eyebrow.

She nodded. "That will do nicely."

He handed it to her and then asked, "What else?" He caught sight of a strange object hanging from the armoire door to his left; an oddly-shaped piece of cloth stiffened with bone with strings dangling from it. Holding it up between two fingers, he asked, "What is this?"

"That? Oh, it's a corset."

Malachite dropped it as if it had burned him. He had heard of corsets, but had never actually seen one before. "Looks like an instrument of torture," he said dryly.

Mina couldn't help herself. The look on his face was priceless. She burst into peals of laughter.

Malachite simply stood and watched her, feeling bemused.

When she could speak again, Mina gasped, "Sometimes wearing it _is_ torture."

"What else do you require?" Malachite asked

Mina shook her head, her blue eyes still dancing. "Nothing."

He looked at her. "You are sure?"

She nodded, completely oblivious to the fact that she was in danger of losing her hold on her bodice.

Malachite inclined his head. Was it his imagination or was the room growing warmer? "Very well. Please get dressed." He started for the door. "I'll return in a moment."

Mina stared at his retreating back, feeling some of the awkwardness seep in between them again. "I beg your pardon?" Her words came out in more of a squeak than she would have preferred.

Malachite's broad shoulders stiffened. "The dress," he explained without turning around. "I plan to dispose of it."

"Oh," Mina said. _I should have known that._

As soon as he closed the door behind him, Mina let go of her bodice and pulled the silver negligee over her head. The bandages interfered with her movements, but not enough to cause a serious problem. She carefully got out of bed, pleased to note she was no longer dizzy, and shook her skirts out. The remains of the ill-fated orange dress tumbled to the floor, along with a small pearlescent coral compact tucked within its folds.

Mina scooped up the compact and thrust it hastily beneath her pillow. It would have been a novel trinket on Earth regardless of its other capacity, and she had kept it hidden to avoid unwanted questions. Then she climbed back into her bed and settled the covers around her waist. "I'm finished, Malachite," she called.

She was staring at the dress on the floor and missed the look on Malachite's face when he reentered. The negligee fell around her in graceful silver folds and he thought she had never looked lovelier. Ignoring the spiteful voice in the back of his mind telling him she would never see him as anything but the man she had been forced to wed, he stooped and gathered the dress up into a bundle. He would take great delight in burning it.

"I'll send your maid in to you," he said quietly, turning to leave. He had barely taken a step when warm fingers caught his hand, sending a jolt of electricity through him. Startled, Malachite looked down at the fingers and followed them to an outstretched arm, which eventually led to Mina's serious face.

"Thank you," she said. A faint flush suffused her cheeks as she met his eyes. "Thank you for saving my life, Malachite." The words tumbled out of her; words she could no longer hold inside.

Without thinking, he brought her hand up to rest against his heart. "It would have killed me to lose you."

Mina froze. "Why?" she asked through suddenly stiff lips.

Malachite held her gaze and his grip tightened on her hand. This was his moment—a golden opportunity fate had dropped right into his lap. He would be a fool not to take it. "Because you hold my heart," he said simply. The words came far easier than he ever would have imagined. Now it was up to her to decide whether or not to believe him.

Mina drew in a shaky little half-breath, completely stunned. "What?" She blinked and tried to wrap her mind around the magnitude of those five words. "You—you mean you…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Ami's voice drifted through her mind again and hope lifted its weary head.

Malachite seemed to know what she was trying to say. "Yes." He inhaled and a muscle in his jaw twitched. "But I couldn't admit it to myself until I nearly lost you."

Mina's eyes widened still further. A dozen different thoughts collided in her head and fizzled out into nothing. Hope rallied and lifted its shield against bitterness, extinguishing poisoned arrows before they could inflict any damage.

And then it happened.

In one smooth movement, Malachite closed the distance between them and kissed her. If he had seen disgust, disinterest, or any similar emotion in her eyes, he would have retreated, but the glimpse he caught of a tiny, almost imperceptible flare of vulnerable hope was his undoing. It awakened answering hope in his own heart.

Hope that perhaps the task of making her fall in love with him would not be as difficult as he feared.

Caught by surprise, Mina could only close her eyes as his lips slid over hers. It was better than anything she could have imagined. His free hand came up to frame her face, his touch sending fire coursing through her, and she responded by instinct. She leaned into him, her free hand traveling up to tangle in the hair at the back of his neck. A dim portion of her mind reflected it was a good thing he was supporting her; otherwise she would have collapsed into a boneless heap on the bed.

After a long moment they parted and stared at each other in awed silence. Mina was the first to break the spell. With a dreamy smile, she asked, "Do you know how long I've waited for you to do that?"

For a few seconds, Malachite was incapable of speech. Then he asked gruffly, "You have?"

She nodded and bit her lip. "I…I never thought you would. I thought you hated me."

Malachite raised her hand and kissed her palm before relinquishing it to envelop her in his arms. "No. Never." He swallowed. "Mina, I—"

She reached up and laid a finger across his lips. His eyes told her everything she needed to know—more than she had ever hoped to find there. "It doesn't matter," she said quietly. "As long as you love me and don't push me away again, it doesn't matter."

The sincerity in her voice was overwhelming. Malachite kissed her again and then buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes. Her arms hesitantly slid around his waist and he felt the rapid thud of her heartbeat against his chest. _This is real_, he told himself. _It's really happening._

It was with great reluctance he recalled he still had duties awaiting his attention. Regretfully, he pulled away from Mina and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I have to go."

She raised her head from its place on his chest and offered him a soft smile. "I know."

Malachite ran a gentle hand through her hair, unable to find words to express everything he felt at this moment. "Rest well, Princess. I'll see you later."

He stepped toward the door, glanced at her one last time, and then he was gone.

Mina remained kneeling on the bed in a daze, her heart swelling to the point where she was sure it would burst. _He loves me. _The thought—the remembrance of his words and the quiet devotion in his eyes—washed over her in a happy tidal wave. She wanted to laugh, she wanted to dance...she wanted to kiss him again.

_He loves me,_ her heart sang, _He loves me, he loves me, he loves me!_ She fell back against her pillows, unable to restrain joyous laughter.

Night was over and the glow of happy dawn had come, sweeping away the bitterness and unhappiness she had been harboring.

—- ——- ——- —

Malachite's heart was light the remainder of the day. It felt as though a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and the loss of it made a staggering difference. For the first time, he had an inkling of what his Prince and fellow Generals had experienced since their return from the Moon.

He reported Mina's progress to Serenity, who was vastly relieved, and narrowly avoided being interrogated by Jadeite. The younger General had not missed his change of humor and was curious as to the cause.

Dinner in the Great Hall that night was a subdued affair. Even Serenity was more silent than her wont. Glancing around, Malachite couldn't help but think Mina's presence would have livened things up a little. She would have laughed and teased Serenity until the Moon Princess snapped back to her bubbly self. She, he realized, would not have let the attack become a taboo subject no one was willing to discuss.

He could not wait to return to their quarters, though he scarcely knew why. Part of him wanted to be reassured that he had not imagined what happened that morning, that Mina was alive and well and _his._ At the same time, he was unsure how to proceed. Had she truly understood? What would she expect from him?

Vague wisps of ideas chased each other around his mind until he finally dispelled them by telling himself he would just have to ask her. It was sure to be an enlightening and…conversational…experience.

When Malachite reached their quarters, he was therefore both disappointed and a little relieved to discover Mina was asleep. He dismissed her maid, who had been keeping watch over her, and stood for a long moment looking down at her still form. She was sleeping peacefully, her golden hair fanned out in a silky mass.

Very tenderly, he smoothed her hair out of the way and pulled the covers up around her. Then he bent and brushed a gentle kiss across her lips. "Goodnight, Mina," he murmured. She smiled in her sleep.

A warm glow filling his heart, Malachite retreated to his own room for the night. _Perhaps,_ a quiet voice in the back of his mind whispered, _perhaps soon you won't be sleeping alone._ Perhaps soon he would be able to cradle her in his arms for the rest of their lives.

—- ——- ——- —

In the still of the night, a persistent beeping roused Mina from her slumber. For a few seconds, her foggy mind could not process the tones. All she could think was that she must have fallen asleep before Malachite returned. A crestfallen look flitted across her face before she registered what the beeping signified. _My communicator._

For a second, she closed her eyes. Then she took a deep, bracing breath and slid her hand beneath her pillow until her fingers closed on the coral compact. Flipping open the lid, she pressed a button.

The beeping ceased and a familiar face filled the tiny mirror. "Princess Mina," Luna said in hushed tones. "Are you alone?"

Mina nodded. "Yes."

"The Queen needs you to transform and teleport here immediately. She will assist you."

Mina could not honestly say she was surprised. The only question was how the Queen had learned of the attack. "As Her Majesty wishes," she said, inclining her head. "Let me tell—"

"No," Luna said sharply. "You may not tell anyone anything. Time is of the essence."

For a few seconds, the two of them stared at each other. Then Mina bowed her head again. "Very well."

Luna ended the transmission and the mirror reverted to its former state.

Mina's mind was a swirl of conflicted thoughts. Someone had informed the Queen of Serenity's near brush with death. Her mind flicked over possible candidates and settled on Ami. _She's the only one logical enough to see the long-term ramifications,_ she decided.

Shaking her head, Mina pushed her thoughts aside and reached into her space pocket for her transformation pen. Then she slid out of bed and took a few tentative steps. She was relieved to find the dizziness gone.

Sure that the lights of her transformation into a Sailor Senshi would awaken her husband, Mina laid a blanket along the bottom of the door. She hated to keep this from him, especially now that things between them were changing, but orders were orders.

Still, as she held her transformation pen aloft, she felt a surge of guilt. If she was gone for more than a few hours, what would Malachite think? _I love him—I don't want to hurt him._ She closed her eyes. _You can't think of him now,_ she told herself sternly. _Duty calls._

"Venus Power," she whispered.

A flurry of familiar lights surrounded her and Mina felt stronger from the resulting wave of energy. It had been so long since she last transformed she had almost forgotten how _good_ it felt. She pressed another button on her communicator to indicate she was ready and closed her eyes.

"Venus Teleport."

With a boost from the Silver Imperium Crystal, she was gone.

—- ——- ——- —

Despite the day's events, Malachite did not sleep well. He tossed and turned restlessly and, when sleep finally found him, slipped into a terrible nightmare. He dreamt Mina's wound reopened and that she bled to death before he could reach her. He could only clutch her cold, lifeless body in his arms and beg her to come back while ominous lightning flickered around them.

He woke up in a cold sweat. The sensations were so real he almost expected to find her blood on his hands. _She's fine,_ he thought, in an attempt to reassure himself. _It was only a dream._ But, try as he might, he could not shake a nagging sense of disaster.

Finally, just to prove to himself that absolutely nothing was wrong, he threw back his covers. The palace was dark and silent, with the stillness the hours after midnight bring, but he could see well enough to find his way to her door. He pushed it open and nearly tripped over a blanket lying on the floor. With a grunt of annoyance, he shoved it aside and glanced at the bed.

It was empty.

He stared at it in surprise. The covers were folded back as though she had just left and his hand went out automatically to feel them. _Still warm._

He waited a moment, and then hesitantly checked the water closet they shared. It was empty as well. Panic rose in his chest, but he forced it down. "Mina?" he asked aloud. "Where are you?"

There was no answer.

Malachite ran a hand through his silver hair as he stared at the bed where Mina should have been. Where had she gone? Why had she gone? _What is going on? _

He drew a sharp breath to dispel the wave of hurt confusion threatening to engulf him and fought to detach his emotions so he could look at the situation logically. There had to be a rational explanation for this. Lighting a candle, he studied the room with a critical eye.

A moment later, he was forced to concede that everything was as it should be. A pair of shoes or slippers—or whatever they called those flimsy things court women wore on their feet these days—lay on the floor beside the bed, as though waiting for her, and nothing else appeared to be missing or out of place. His confusion only deepened.

Malachite began to pace her room, thinking furiously. Spurred by a sudden inspiration, he crossed to the window and peered out, but the grass beneath her window was conspicuously free of crumpled bodies. There was no trace of a rope or anything else—and if she had jumped from this height, he knew she would have broken her legs, or her neck, or both.

No, the window was out, which left the door as the only other means of egress. It was possible Mina had left their quarters of her own volition, even though she was still weak. It was also conceivable she had been kidnapped. His hands clenched into fists. He had, after all, oiled that infernal hinge to keep it from squeaking.

But after considering both alternatives, he concluded they were unlikely. His senses remained on high alert; he would have known if she left—or was taken. No, it looked like she had simply vanished into thin air.

The thought hit him hard and he stopped to lean against one of her bedposts. He was still recovering from having nearly lost her yesterday and now...now… The memory of their kiss and her dreamy smile flashed before his eyes. _Oh, Mina,_ he thought, passing a hand over his face. _Where are you? Don't leave me._

Head bowed, the general stood beside her bed and fought to regain control of himself. It was only then, when he forcibly emptied his mind, that the hair on the back of his neck tingled. He raised his head, lavender eyes narrowing.

A faint tinge of magic lingered in the air.

Teleportation magic, by the feel of it.

A muscle in Malachite's jaw worked. Consumed as he was with more practical methods of disappearance, he had almost missed it. A cold knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he glanced one more time at his wife's empty bed. Then he spun on his heel and returned to his own room. If Mina had been teleported off of Earth, there was nothing he could do about it until morning.

_Perhaps not even then_, a bitter voice in the back of his mind whispered.

—- ——- ——- —

Venus's teleportation was almost instantaneous. Upon coalescing, she found herself in Queen Selenity's outer chamber and dropped gracefully to one knee. "My Queen."

"I apologize for calling you here so abruptly, Venus," Selenity began without preamble, "but your assistance is required." Her face was shrouded with worry and her voice tense. Luna stood beside her, looking grave.

Venus rose to her feet. "What is wrong?" Her own unhappiness disappeared, swept away by an alert suspicion.

Selenity glanced at Luna and moved to her bedchamber. There she settled herself into one of the comfortable chairs scattered around the room and motioned for Venus and Luna to do the same.

Venus hesitated for a split-second before obeying. The Queen's informality was at odds with the gravity of the situation and she found it more than a little unsettling. Something was going on…something much larger than the attack on Serenity.

Once Luna had taken a seat as well, Selenity turned her full attention to Venus. "I understand you saved my daughter's life."

Venus waved one gloved hand. "I only performed my duty."

Selenity nodded. "Are you in need of a Healer?"

Blue eyes met blue eyes and Venus realized Selenity only knew part of the story. _Ami didn't tell her everything._ She shook her head. "Thanks to General Malachite's quick thinking, I am fine." She half-expected the Queen to press for details, but Selenity did not.

Instead, she pressed her fingers into a steeple on her lap. "I am aware," she began slowly, that your absence from Earth will temporarily upset things, but we have a legitimate cover story in place."

"As Crown Princess of Venus," Luna broke in softly, "the Venusian government will of course be anxious to know how you fare."

Venus suppressed a frown. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, this plan would have worked better if you had teleported me during the day. As it is, there will likely be a good deal of suspicion." _Most of it directed toward me._

Selenity's shoulders lifted in an elegant shrug. "It cannot be helped," she said tersely. "Mercury will convey the news discreetly."

Venus dipped her golden head in a bow.

There was short pause, and then Selenity said abruptly, "I want to know everything about the attack, Venus. I want to know who he is, who sent him, and why he was allowed into the palace in the first place."

Her voice wavered on that last part, effectively quenching the flash of anger Venus felt at the implication that Endymion and his Generals had allowed a would-be assassin to waltz into the palace unhindered. "The assassin did not gain access to the palace," she said evenly. "He was outside with several thousand innocent Terrans."

Selenity gestured for her to continue.

"He called himself 'Nemo', but his real name is unknown."

"'Nobody'," Luna observed.

Venus nodded. "Exactly. Not helpful at all." She flicked a lock of golden hair over her shoulder. "The only thing they learned from interrogating him was that he had been sent to rid Endymion of the Lunar witch ensnaring him."

Luna gasped. Selenity's mouth tightened. "Anything else?" she asked sharply.

Venus shrugged. "Apparently, he started chanting something about a beryl over and over again and they were unable to get anything else out of him." She stopped. Selenity's face had drained of all color and now bore a great resemblance to the pale marble walls. "My Queen?"

Selenity ignored the question. "Where is the assassin now?"

"Dead. He killed himself, but they're not sure how." Venus rubbed the back of her neck. "Supposedly, he dissolved into a pile of dust."

"A pile of dust?" Selenity's tone could have split marble. "Did you see this?"

Venus squelched the urge to stiffen. "No, I did not personally witness his death, Your Majesty," she said coolly. "Nor did the other Senshi. We have kept our oath. Naturally," she added wryly, "this makes acquiring information problematic."

"I take it you learned of it through the Generals, then?"

She inclined her head, but did not miss the wary, almost frightened look Luna and Selenity exchanged. "You know something of this." It wasn't a question.

Slowly, the lavender-haired Queen nodded. She was still pale, but had regained her composure. "I'm afraid so. There is a darkness spreading, Venus, a darkness unlike anything any of us have ever seen." She shook her head. "In the past month, Neptune and Uranus have experienced a number of riots and other problems. Jupiter has also been bothered, but not to the extent of the Outer Planets."

Venus's eyes widened in astonishment. "Riots?" she echoed. "On Neptune and Uranus? What could they possibly be upset about?"

Selenity glanced at Luna again before answering. "Ostensibly? Earth's inclusion in the Silver Alliance." She lifted a hand to rub her temple. "However, the large amounts of negative energy present on each occasion have led us to the conclusion that these uprisings cannot possibly be natural."

"Even if they were natural," Luna said dryly, "it wouldn't explain the culprits responsible for instigating the riots."

"Oh?" Venus's eyes flicked over to rest on the black-haired Mauan.

"These creatures—they call themselves youma—have unnatural abilities that appear to stem from some dark power source. And more than one of them has mentioned this Beryl."

A chill ran down Venus's spine. _They sound a great deal like the creatures rumored to be popping up all over Earth,_ she thought. _Surely it's not the same._

Selenity picked at the folds of her gown. "Whoever Beryl is, and wherever she came from, her minions are trying to throw this solar system into an uproar. They seem to be working their way toward either Earth or the Moon. Perhaps both. I fear for Serenity's safety."

Venus nodded sagely. It didn't take a genius like Ami to see that coming. "Do you think Beryl is that much of a danger?"

Selenity briefly closed her eyes. "Yes. Judging from the havoc she has wreaked on the Outer Planets, I fell sure that if she turns her attention to Earth, it _will_ fall. And its people with it."

Venus narrowed her eyes. Her feeling that this was a bigger issue than it appeared to be on the surface still remained. "There's more to this than you are telling me, Your Majesty," she said bluntly. "The Terran Royal Guard is more than capable of holding off a few monsters."

The Queen held her gaze for a long moment before dipping her head in a nod. "This Beryl, or her minions—we do not yet know for certain—have also demonstrated an uncanny knack for warping people's minds and turning them against everything they hold dear."

_Ah, now we reach the crust of the matter_, Venus thought.

"Should she warp inhabitants of the palace, or the King and Queen, or worse, Endymion—"

"Endymion is strong," Venus interrupted. She did not miss the disapproving look on Luna's face, but chose to ignore it. "He and Serenity have a soul bond, my Queen. He would die for her." She shook her head. "It would take a tremendous amount of effort on Beryl's part to sway him, and even then, there is no guarantee she would succeed."

"He's only human," Selenity replied shortly. "If she turns the Crown Prince, Earth is hers for the taking and the Moon itself will be in jeopardy."

"Endymion has more power than you give him credit. He won't fall," Venus said confidently. _Just like Malachite_, she thought, and then blinked. _Where did that come from?_ She had no time to contemplate it.

"We'll see," the Queen said, her lips compressing into a thin line. "In the meantime, I plan to bring Serenity here if Earth experiences problems."

In the back of her mind, Venus had been expecting something like this, but the words still surprised her. "Your Majesty?"

"If these riots spread to Earth, you and the other Senshi are hereby ordered to conduct my daughter back to the Moon," Selenity said grimly. "And here she will stay."

"Endymion—not to mention the Terran Crown—will not stand for that."

Selenity shrugged. "She is the only heir to the Lunar throne and as such must be protected. Of course," she added, catching the skeptical look that passed over Venus's face, "I'll allow him to visit her."

Venus inclined her head in a deferential bow. No good would come of arguing this particular point. She felt a twinge of guilt and bit her tongue. Part of her knew she should mention the problems plaguing Earth of late. The other part of her argued there were mostly unsubstantiated rumors and she had no real proof.

_And I won't uproot Serenity—or everyone else—on a whim. But,_ she told herself grimly, _I will be having a little chat with Malachite._

Aloud, she said, "My Queen, in the interests of protecting the Princess, might I suggest that it would be wise to allow us to inform the Prince and his Generals of our status as Senshi?"

Selenity and Luna both frowned.

"Please, Your Majesty," Venus pressed. "At least consider it."

Finally, the Queen nodded. "Very well. It shall be taken under consideration."

It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. Venus repressed the smile that rose to her lips and listened as Selenity moved on to other matters.

"While you are here, Sailor Venus, I need you to check the Moon's planetary defenses, inspect the city Guard, and calm the people. Having even one Senshi among us has always had a soothing effect. Report to me if you find anything unusual."

Sensing she was being dismissed, Venus rose and bowed. "As you wish, my Queen." She spun sharply on her heel and marched off, her golden hair swishing behind her.

—- ——- ——- —

As the click of Venus's shoes faded away, Selenity sank back in her chair and rubbed her forehead. _Thank goodness I have the Senshi to rely upon._

"Majesty, are you well?"

Selenity glanced over at her old friend. "I'm tired, Luna. Just tired."

Luna nodded sympathetically, but said in a gentle voice, "You are worrying yourself too much about the Outer Planets."

The Queen's eyes suddenly blazed with renewed energy. "I should be worried, Luna," she said tightly. "I am the head of the Silver Alliance and they are all looking to me for answers—answers I simply don't have! I don't know why this is happening or what Beryl plans to do. I don't even know how we are going to protect ourselves against her. If she can turn our own people against us, everyone could be a potential spy."

Luna laid a hand on her arm. "We will find the answers, my Queen."

"We must," Selenity said gravely.

—- ——- ——- —

The first rosy tendrils of dawn were just beginning to unfurl from the eastern sky when Malachite's eyes snapped open. Awareness flooded his mind immediately. In another instant, he was standing at Mina's door, hoping against hope to find her asleep within. Swallowing the lump that had mysteriously formed in his throat, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. "Mina?"

An exuberant bird trilling outside the window was his only response and his heart sank.

The room was still empty. She had not returned.

Malachite swallowed once more, and then he was himself again. Striding back to his own room, he resolved he would get to the bottom of this. He knew exactly where to start.

—- ——- ——- —

Ami was sleeping quite peacefully when a loud, insistent banging startled her to wakefulness. Beside her, Zoicite mumbled something incoherent.

The banging continued, and as the last gauzy traces of sleep fell away from her, Ami realized it was coming from the other side of their bedroom door—not the outer door. Sitting up, she leaned over and shook her husband's bare shoulder. "Zoi! Wake up."

For a few seconds, he blinked at her in groggy silence. Then his mind registered the noise as well and his leaf green eyes widened. Rolling out of bed, he grabbed his sword and padded over to the door, barefoot and bare-chested.

Ami slipped into a dressing gown, one part of her mind observing that her husband's fearsome appearance was rather lessened by the wild state of his red-gold hair. The other part of her mind feared she knew exactly what had happened.

Zoicite flung the door open, brandishing the sword. "This had better be important," he began irritably, but he broke off abruptly as he found himself confronted with Malachite, grimfaced and fully dressed. "Mal?" he asked. His gaze slid past the First General to rest on the group of people at the far end of the room, who were not dressed and looked as confused as he felt. "What's going on?"

"That's what we'd like to know," Jadeite drawled. Beside him, Rei said nothing; she was studying Malachite thoughtfully. Lita and Nephrite both looked concerned.

Malachite raised an eyebrow at the sword being pointed in his direction and Zoicite hastily laid it aside. "By all means," he said, stepping past Malachite and gesturing to the rest of the room. "Please invade at the crack of dawn without a word of explanation. It's not as though any of us need sleep after yesterday."

It was the closest Jadeite and Nephrite had ever heard him come to criticizing Malachite.

Ami came out of the bedroom, clutching her dressing gown. Malachite might appear calm, though he had yet to say a word, but his eyes gave him away. He was confused, angry, hurt…and frightened. She felt guilt claw at her insides. _It was for the best,_ she reminded herself.

Zoicite posted his hands on his hips. "All right, what's going on?"

"Mina's gone," Malachite said quietly, standing ramrod straight.

Lita and Rei both gasped. "What do you mean 'gone'?" Lita demanded. Her face drained of all color. "You can't—she can't be—"

"I mean she has vanished and I have not yet located her," Malachite said stiffly.

In brief, succinct terms, he told them everything he knew. Ami bit her lip as he finished. She had contacted Luna to tell her of the attempt on Serenity's life only because she had thought it would be more beneficial in the long run if the Queen learned of it sooner rather than later. She had included the fact that Mina was injured, but hadn't expected Selenity to actually call her away.

Her azure eyes flicked to Malachite again. It was difficult to tell if he suspected Silver Alliance involvement, but it was obvious that not _knowing_ was killing him.

Jadeite glanced around the room and his eyes met Ami's. "You know something, don't you, Princess Ami?" he asked calmly. Almost too calmly.

Everyone turned to look at the blue-haired princess. She willed herself not to flinch or, worse, blush. "I may," she agreed gravely. She forced herself to meet Malachite's lavender gaze and Luna's words came easily to her lips. "Mina is the Venusian Crown Princess. It's possible her government heard of the attack and appealed to Queen Selenity for an emergency teleportation in the interests of making sure Mina is unharmed."

It sounded plausible, even to her own ears, and she prayed they believed her. They had to believe her.

Zoicite tilted his head to one side, regarding her with a suddenly sharp look in his green eyes that she did not like. "And how, exactly, would they have known about that?"

Rei spared Ami from answering. Flipping a stray lock of hair back over her shoulder, she said testily, "You'd be surprised how quickly information travels these days."

Jadeite's gaze flicked between the two of them. "Why wouldn't they have teleported Mal as well?" he asked. "He's her husband."

Rei harrumphed and crossed her arms. "I've never accredited the Venusians with an overabundance of brains."

"But they put a high value on things like love," Zoicite pointed out.

This time, it was Ami who answered, to soften words that would have sounded too harsh coming from Rei. "Perhaps, Malachite," she said gently, "they are aware of how difficult things have been between you and Mina and wished to spare you both unwelcome attention."

"How magnanimous of them," Nephrite observed. It was the first time he had spoken so far, and Ami was surprised by his restraint. Of course, she reasoned, he could only just now have fully awakened. Lita shot him a glare.

"They do intend to send her back, don't they?" Jadeite was smiling, but a cold edge had slid into his voice.

Lita looked positively aghast. "Of course!" she burst out. "She'll probably be back before the day's over!"

Malachite cut in smoothly before things could escalate into an argument. "Then there's no need to worry, is there?" he observed, in as calm and unruffled a voice as he could muster. His words had the desired effect. Everyone shifted their attention to him. "Endymion and the Princess must be told," he continued, "but I think the matter should be kept to ourselves for now."

Nephrite snorted. "Yes, it might be a little upsetting."

Rei's eyes flashed, but Jadeite laid a hand on her arm. "There are some in the palace who might consider this rather high-handed on Queen Selenity's part," he said softly.

Ami nodded in understanding. "And tension is high enough as it is." She looked at Malachite again. "You'll need someone to stay in Mina's room for the day, won't you?"

He inclined his head. "I would prefer the servants know as little as possible."

Ami nodded again. A plan was already swirling together in her mind. She outlined it to Malachite and then they watched him stalk from the room, his cape fluttering regally behind him. He looked, Ami thought, incredibly alone. But perhaps that was simply her imagination.

For a long moment, the room was silent. Then Nephrite shook his head. "They're meant for each other. The stars have said as much. Why do they have so much trouble?"

Lita scowled. "Because they're too stubborn to admit they care for each other," she grumbled. Her husband wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed comfortingly.

Ami could feel Rei's eyes on her. She looked up, willing her face to show as little of what was running through her mind as possible. They couldn't speak now—not without opening themselves up to questions sure to jeopardize Queen Selenity's faith in them.

Worse, Jadeite was studying them. She knew he could tell something was amiss and he was smart enough to start putting things together.

Ami was so intent on covertly studying Jadeite that she missed the contemplative look in her own husband's eyes.

—- ——- ——- —

Ami's plan was simple in theory. She and the other princesses would visit Mina and Malachite's quarters in shifts and prevent Mina's maid from realizing her mistress was not there by refusing to let her carry anything into Mina's room. Doing so would seem strange and would no doubt cause talk, but Ami was confident the palace staff would chalk it all up to the oddities of off-world royalty. And as she took the first shift—ostensibly to keep Mina amused while confined to her bed—Rei and Lita were left with the task of explaining the situation to Serenity.

Zoicite caught the grim looks they exchanged upon leaving the breakfast table and watched as they smoothly intercepted Serenity and hurried her away. His leaf green eyes narrowed. _Something is not right here_. Every instinct told him there was more to this situation than met the eye.

Casually, he strode after them. His morning duties could wait a few moments. Ami would probably scold him later for eavesdropping, but he knew they were hiding something.

Something involving Mina and the Moon Queen.

Zoicite followed the three princesses all the way to Endymion and Serenity's quarters, but there his plan was thwarted. When he put an ear to the heavy door, he realized the Princesses were taking no chances of being overheard and had retreated to the inner chamber. He scowled and rubbed the back of his neck. _So much for that plan._

Three seconds later, he brightened. Maybe…just maybe…he could persuade Ami to tell him the truth. _You have not because you ask not._

Several hours later, he found his chance.

—- ——- ——- —

Ami had just emerged from the library, engrossed in a medical textbook she intended to take back to Mina's room for her next shift, when someone called her name. She looked up and smiled as she saw her husband striding toward her. The smile faltered as she took in his stern expression. "Zoicite, what's wrong?"

Zoicite took her arm and pulled her back into the library, shutting the door firmly behind them. Then he proceeded to walk her to a secluded corner. "Ami," he said quietly, "I know you're hiding something from us. And," he added, "I know it's important."

The book fell from Ami's suddenly frozen fingers and hit the stone floor with an echoing crack. "What?"

Zoicite grasped her shoulders and peered down into her eyes. "Ami, whatever it is, you have to tell us. Malachite deserves to know what's really going on. _We_ deserve to know."

Ami swallowed, her eyes wide and uncertain. She had never been particularly good at lying—just as she had never been particularly good at knowing when other people were lying. She did, however, know her husband well enough to know nothing but the truth would satisfy him.

Truth she could not give.

Her dark blue eyes filled with grief. "I—I can't tell you."

"Why?" he asked sharply.

"Because I promised I would say nothing."

"You can't even tell _me_?"

She shook her head. "Zoicite, please—you must understand. I—we—we swore an _oath_. We can't break our word!"

Zoicite studied her face for the better part of a minute. "Do you trust me?" he asked finally.

Ami blinked. "Of course I trust you," she said without missing a beat. "I trust you with my life." She took his hands in both of hers and looked up at him earnestly. "Zoi, I don't want to keep this from you, but I have no other choice. Believe me, I'll tell you everything as soon as I can. Please don't be angry with me."

He held her gaze for a few seconds longer and then nodded once, his expression softening. _Ami wouldn't lie to me_. "You promise?"

"I promise."

Zoicite wrapped his arms around her. "I'll try not to pry. It'll be hard, but I'll try."

"Thank you," she whispered, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

Okay, I'm all revved up now. The best part? I've only got three more chapters that need intensive revision—the next six after that only need to be tweaked, and Part 18 (which is brand-new) is practically finished. So there's hope, never fear. :)

Again, I'm sorry it took so long, but I do hope you enjoyed this revised installment. Don't forget to let me know what you thought!

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!


	10. Part 9: Of Secrets and Revelations

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Sailor Moon, never have, never will. :( I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Yep, I know. It's been forever. Life happened, what can I say? :shrugs:

Special thanks go to Dejana, as always, for being a fabulous beta reader. All typos/errors/brain farts have been fixed.

Also, thank you so much for all the reviews and pms. You don't know how encouraging they are. Y'all are the best! Enjoy-this one came in around 11,000 words!

_"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." ~ John 16:33_

* * *

**For Love…or Duty**

**Part 9:**

**Of Secrets and Revelations**

There was a time when Sailor Venus would have given anything to return to the familiar environs of the Moon Kingdom. Now, as she slipped through the silent marble halls of the Moon Palace, she knew she would never be happy here again. Not without Malachite. Her hand reached up to press against her aching heart.

As strange as it felt, the Moon was no longer her home. Her home was on Earth, with Malachite—or wherever he happened to be.

Venus almost laughed. The last time she had walked these corridors, the idea of Malachite being her home was the farthest thing from her mind. _It's funny how things change._

Pressing her lips into a thin line, she resolutely shoved all thoughts of home—and Malachite—to the back of her mind. At the moment, she was a Senshi, not a princess, and there were duties requiring her attention.

The Moon's shield and Palace security topped the list.

Ducking into a shadowed corner, Venus briefly weighed her priorities. Making sure the shield was fully functional was vital—but so was an unexpected, unannounced inspection of Selenity's guards. If she visited the shield control room first, word of her arrival might get out. _That would never do._ _Palace security it is._

For the better part of two hours, the blonde Senshi flitted about the Palace watching the guards make their rounds and perform their routine inspections. She made note of a few men unfortunate enough to have chosen this night to be sleeping at their posts, and marked a few new faces amidst the guards' ranks. Two of them she subsequently remembered had been cadets in training when she left for the weddings months earlier.

Her candid inspection over, Venus moved toward the heart of the palace. The shield control room was protected almost as heavily as the Queen's own chambers, but there was no need to explain her presence to the guards she passed standing watch. Aside from Selenity and a few of her most trusted advisors—Luna included—the Senshi were the only other individuals authorized to freely visit the control room for the shield.

As she approached the carved door and nodded in recognition to the silent guards on either side, she wished fleetingly for Mercury and her computer. Checking the shield's stats had been something the blue-haired Senshi did with remarkable speed and accuracy.

_Can't lead from the back, Venus,_ she reminded herself.

An hour later, having ascertained the shield was in perfect condition, Venus strode away from the shield room with a lighter heart. The technician on night duty had been surprised to see her, but not alarmed. _That's always a good sign._

A few corridors later, she turned down the hall leading the guard barracks and stopped at a certain door. A faint smile curved her lips. This next part of her duties would be a little more fun. Raising one gloved hand, she rapped sharply on the smooth surface.

Within seconds, the door opened to reveal a partially-dressed Captain Reagan, head of the Palace Guard. His eyes widened slightly upon seeing the Senshi of Venus at his door, but he did not let her sudden appearance faze him. "Sailor Venus." He inclined his head politely. "Welcome back."

Venus returned his nod. She liked the captain; he was an able overseer, well-suited to his tasks. "Thank you, Captain. My apologies for disturbing you at such an early hour, but my time here is short."

"How may I be of service?"

In answer, she flashed him a smile.

—- —- —- —

"Atten-TION!"

Reagan's voice echoed through the guard barracks like a thunderclap. At the sound, almost all the guards rolled out of their bunks to hit the floor before their eyes were even open. When blurry vision cleared, various murmurs of astonishment swept through the room.

Venus did nothing to hide her amused smile. "Hello, gentlemen," she said brightly. "I thought I'd drop in and see how you're doing."

Despite their various stages of undress, every back straightened.

Venus turned to Reagan. "Captain, I think a run through the obstacle course would be just the way to start off the morning, wouldn't you agree?"

He inclined his dark head. "It will certainly get their blood pumping."

Venus flashed the guards a cheery smile. "Training grounds, five minutes." She spun on her heel and strode out to let the men get dressed, golden hair swishing about the backs of her thighs.

In some respects, overseeing the guards was torture. Being in the coliseum again, standing in the training grounds, made Venus itch for a training session of her own. _This_ was the part of her life on the Moon she missed the most.

While the guards navigated the Senshi-designed obstacle course, Venus filled Reagan in on what she had found during her impromptu inspection. He accepted the blame for the guards' shortcomings without faltering—though she had couched her statements in clinical terms—and promised it would not happen again.

Venus knew he meant it.

At the end of their run, the guards lined up to receive her praise or criticism. As tired as they now were, each man stood proudly. When she was finished, she gave orders that the rest of the guards be cycled through, their results compared to the first group, and changes made accordingly.

At last, she clapped gloved hands together. "Thank you, gentlemen. Dismissed."

"Sailor Venus," one of the younger guards called out. "How does the Princess fare?"

"Princess Serenity is doing well," Venus assured him. "She is enjoying being on Earth."

"I hope she doesn't forget us," someone else murmured.

Venus's blue eyes softened. Sweeping her gaze over the collection of guards, she favored them with a gentle smile. "The Princess could never forget such a loyal, gallant group of protectors. She misses the Moon, but destiny has temporarily called her elsewhere."

When the guards dispersed, Reagan finally spoke. "And what of the other Princesses?" he inquired. "How do they fare?"

Venus inclined her head. "They are content with their place in life, Captain."

He nodded somberly. "I'm glad to hear it. The Palace has not been the same without them." He shook his head. "Nor has it been the same without the Senshi."

She laughed and held out her hand. "Don't worry, Captain, you'll not be rid of us that easily."

"I am glad of it," Reagan replied, bowing over her glove. "If you will excuse me?"

"Gladly."

They parted ways—Reagan back to the guard barracks and Venus to the main part of the Palace.

Dawn had come and gone; the Palace now bustled with activity. She made one more set of rounds, noting that servants and attendants alike brightened when they caught sight of her. The faint tension palpable in the air disappeared. Reagan was right-people had missed the Senshi. The thought warmed her heart.

After a bite of breakfast, Venus ventured outside the palace into the city to fulfill the last part of Queen Serenity's request. She saw many faces brighten with relief as Lunarians caught sight of her and she greeted everyone cheerfully.

Within moments, a group of curious, awestruck children on their way to school had gathered around her to ask questions about where she had been, the Princess, and Earth. Some of their questions made her laugh, but when they worried about Selenity's safety, she promised them that the Senshi were never far from her.

Without a doubt, the silver lining to her entire day was the hour of training simulations she managed to slip into her schedule. It felt good to stretch muscles that had not seen much use in months. At the same time she was appalled at the deterioration she saw in herself.

As she left the coliseum and headed back to the Palace again, Venus thought grimly, _We must find a way to remedy this. We'll be of no use to Serenity otherwise._

It had occurred to her that if she had been able to keep up with her training, she might have been able to avoid Nemo's deadly knife altogether. _Of course_, she realized, _Malachite might not have realized he loved me if I hadn't almost died._

Her heart gave a fresh pang and she drew a sharp breath. _You can't think of him now_, she reminded herself. It was hard, but she shoved thoughts of him away yet again.

There would be plenty of time for that later.

—- —- —- —

That evening, well after the main meal was over, Sailor Venus approached the Queen's quarters to request an audience. She was not surprised to find Selenity was expecting her. Luna met her and immediately ushered her into the Queen's inner chambers.

Selenity greeted her with a gentle smile. "Come in, Venus. How did things go?"

Venus stood perfectly straight, locking her hands behind her back. "Security here is as tight as it should be. The shield is in excellent condition, the guards have been inspected—"

Selenity smiled briefly at this.

"—and I am happy to report the mood among the general population, including the Palace itself, has lightened considerably."

"Good."

Venus swallowed and stood straighter. Her spine could have doubled as a plumb line. It was time to broach the subject of going home.

"My Queen," she began, "I have done everything you required of me. With your permission, I would like to return to Earth."

"I expected as much," Selenity said quietly.

Venus weighed her options and took the plunge. _Now or never._ "I also request permission to inform Endymion and his generals of our status as Senshi."

The lines around Luna's mouth tightened, but Selenity merely leaned back in her chair and regarded the golden Senshi with thoughtful contemplation. Venus met her somber gaze steadily. After a long moment, the Queen spoke. "Explain your reasoning."

Venus's heart began to pound, but she kept all trace of it from her face. _So close._ She took a deep breath. "If your fears about Beryl attacking Earth are valid and something was to occur that required our transformation, I'd rather we did not have to explain ourselves in the midst of defending Serenity."

It was the ultimate trump card and she knew it. Normally, she would have saved it for the last, but this was hardly a normal situation.

The Queen, coming to that realization as well, waved a hand for her to continue.

"As Jupiter said several months ago, my Queen, marriage is built on trust. If things grow worse and we do not tell them the truth until necessity forces our hand, they will never trust us again. If they do not trust us, these alliances collapse. And if these alliances collapse…" She shrugged and held her hands out in front of her.

Selenity closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they held grim amusement. "You're getting better at negotiations, Venus."

Venus inclined her head, hardly daring to breathe.

The Queen then glanced at Luna. "What do you think?"

Luna lifted one shoulder in a delicate shrug. "Given the circumstances, I believe the idea has merit. However," and here she flashed Venus a small, wry smile, "were Artemis here, I believe he would disagree on the grounds that there is no guarantee how carefully a secret of this magnitude will be kept on Earth."

Venus's eyes narrowed. "My Queen, I assure you the Generals are trustworthy."

Selenity brushed Luna's concern aside. "I have no doubt, Venus." She drew herself up in her chair. "Very well, then. I have made my decision."

Venus held her breath.

"I release you and the other Senshi from your oath. You are free to inform the King and Queen of Earth, my son-in-law and the generals of your Senshi status, but—" Selenity's voice grew stern. "It must go no further."

Venus gave the Queen a formal bow, barely able to contain the surge of elation those quiet words sent racing through her. "Thank you very much, my Queen. We are most grateful." She glanced up through her lashes. "I have your permission to return to Earth?"

"You do." Selenity focused on the Silver Crystal and, in a wash of pink and silver light, Venus disappeared.

In the silence left behind, Luna observed, "That was generous of you, Majesty."

Selenity leaned back in her chair again with a faint smile. "She presented a sound argument, Luna. She had a good point—several of them, actually." Her smile slipped. "I do wish, however, that I could be sure of the reaction to this news."

Luna shook her head, dark curls bouncing on her shoulders. "You made the right decision. Things will work out."

Selenity looked toward her window, where a sliver of Earth hung in the starry sky. "I hope so."

—- —- —- —

Malachite could not sleep. He had thrown himself into his duties the entire day, alert for any trace of Mina, but she had not returned. His wife's maids were suspicious—and he suspected their suspicion was spreading throughout the palace—but Ami's plan had held. They just had no idea how long it would last.

Tucking one arm beneath his head, he closed his eyes. It was late, but sleep continued to elude him. The hollow ache in his chest had not abated as the day wore on; if anything it grew worse. At every turn he had expected to see Mina. The slightest glint of blonde hair had made his heart skip a beat.

When the still air crackled with faint energy, making the hair on his forearms prickle, Malachite's eyes flew open. Hope raised its trumpet and blew the call to charge. And charge he did. In an instant, he had shot from his bed and crossed the floor to Mina's door, which he had left ajar. He now slipped through, only to stop short.

A slender figure was materializing in a patch of moonlight streaming through the window. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Malachite started forward again, but froze as he got a better glimpse of the figure. This woman had long, golden hair just like Mina—but she was not his wife.

The last tinge of silver-pink faded from her body and Malachite's face settled into foreboding lines. What was Sailor Venus doing here?

—- —- —- —

As Venus solidified in the familiar environs of her bedroom in the Terran Palace, the toll the events of the past few days had taken on her body finally caught up with her. She swayed and would have fallen had she not managed to steady herself on one of her bedposts. Her head ached and she fought a wave of dizziness. Dimly, she became aware of eyes on her and raised her head.

The bottom dropped out of her stomach.

Malachite stood in the doorway, his face in shadows. Venus swallowed and her dizziness grew worse. _Oh, no…_ This wasn't how she wanted to tell him. "Malachite," she said weakly.

Her voice snapped Malachite into action. He strode forward, grim-faced and imposing despite his state of undress, and growled, "Why are you here? Where is Mina?" He did not care that the slender Senshi appeared on the point of exhaustion—he wanted answers. He _needed_ answers.

Venus straightened, dread pooling in the gaping hole where her stomach had been a moment before. This was all wrong, like something out of one of her worst nightmares. She had no idea how to tell him the truth—and the thought of how he would take the news terrified her. "She's…safe," she stammered at last.

Malachite's eyes narrowed. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance between them and grabbed her by the shoulders. Even if Venus had been at full strength, she would have been hard-pressed to evade him. "Where is my wife?"

It was now or never, regardless of the consequences. Venus lifted her chin. "I'm right, here, Mal."

At first, looking down into those soft blue eyes that reminded him so much of Mina, the words did not register. When they did, Malachite's face darkened further and he snarled. "Do not play games with me."

He sounded oddly like his heart was breaking beneath his harsh words and it strengthened Mina's resolve. "I'm not playing games," she said quietly. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her Senshi uniform melted away to reveal the diaphanous silver negligee he had brought her just the day before, along with the bandages he had tied around her. It felt like a lifetime ago.

The detransformation left her even more drained; she sagged in his grip. She was afraid to meet his eyes, but forced herself to look up anyway. He was staring at her in shock. "I can…explain everything," she said through dry lips.

Malachite blinked and released her shoulders. He staggered backwards a step and shook his head. "I don't believe, it," he said flatly. "You can't be Mina. Sailor Venus is _not_ my Mina." It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.

With a jolt of panic, Mina realized her worst nightmare had come to life. She stretched out pleading hands to her husband. "Malachite, it's really me. I'm sorry I left so abruptly, but Queen Selenity needed me and I had to go."

He had to understand. He had to. Her voice caught. "Don't you recognize me?"

Malachite jerked away from her as though the slightest touch of her fingers would burn him. "You are not my wife," he growled in his iciest tones.

"Malachite—"

White-hot fury engulfed his insides. "It's General Malachite to you. Get out. Go back to your precious Queen and tell her I demand my wife's return." His voice was all the more frightening for its quiet intensity.

Mina's hands dropped to her sides and her eyes filled with bitter tears. Everything was unraveling. She fought to keep her voice steady. There had to be a way to convince him. "I am both Sailor Venus _and_ Princess Mina. We're the same person."

"You're nothing alike," Malachite countered peremptorily. "Get out before I call the guards."

"You saved my life!" she cried. "You kissed me here yesterday!"

Malachite had heard enough. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Watching him go, Mina knew her world had just imploded. Something inside her snapped. She collapsed to the floor and sank her fingers into her hair. It was all wrong, every bit of it.

She should have known it was too good to last. She should have remembered her initial misgivings about what would happen if Malachite ever learned she and Venus were one and the same. She had been foolish enough to think that he would understand, that he wouldn't hate her.

The tears brimming in her eyes finally spilled over. _But he does._ He refused to accept the truth. Even if she did manage to prove it to him, he would still hate her.

She began to sob quietly. She couldn't live with that. She wasn't strong enough to live with someone who truly hated her.

She shuddered, chilled to the bone by that realization. He held her heart and he hated her. There weren't enough words in any language in the entire Silver Alliance for the pain she felt at that moment.

—- —- —- —

Head reeling, Malachite marched straight to the door to the outside corridor. _How dare they? What gives the Silver Alliance the right?_

He started to wrench the door open, but his hand froze on the latch. Angry or not, he shouldn't leave a Senshi alone in the palace. Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against the wooden door. _It can't be true._

Mina couldn't be Venus. Venus couldn't possibly be Mina. They were nothing alike.

In the stillness of his room, he heard a muffled, choking sound from behind Mina's door. Venus was crying. Despite himself, his heart clenched. The sound was all too familiar; it reminded him of the night Mina's tears had woken him.

His hands curled into fists and his face hardened. _However much alike they may look or sound, Sailor Venus is not Mina._ But then, amidst the broken sobs issuing from his wife's room, Malachite caught his name. Venus was sobbing _his name._

He froze, his anger and fury ebbing away to be relegated to the background as his mind began processing information again. There was no logical reason for Sailor Venus to be sobbing his name—they barely knew each other. But Mina…Mina…

In that instant, all of the little pieces of information tucked away in the back of his mind clicked into place, forming a picture he should have seen before. He understood now why he had wondered about the similarity between Venus and Mina when they first visited the Moon, wondered why the Senshi of Venus and her Princess were never seen together. Furthermore, he knew why Mina had taken it upon herself to stand between Serenity and the assassin at the risk of her own life.

Malachite raised his head, eyes wide. _They _are_ the same person._

—- —- —- —

Down the hall, Rei sat bolt upright in her bed, beads of sweat forming on her skin as the emotional equivalent of a tsunami ripped though her. She gasped, unable to breathe under the sheer weight of it. An image of a familiar figure spun in her mind's eye, her beautiful features twisted with raw agony.

"Mina!"

Rei's cry, coupled with her abrupt movement, startled her sleeping husband into wakefulness. Jadeite sat up, his fingers reaching for the sword he always kept beside their bed. "Rei? What is it?"

His blue eyes swept the room. Finding it devoid of threatening figures, he turned to his wife. The sword dropped to the bed as he reached out to frame Rei's face with his calloused hands. "Firebird, what's wrong?"

She took several deep, shuddering breaths. "It's Mina."

"What about her?" The covers fell to Jadeite's bare waist as he twisted closer to Rei.

"Pain," Rei moaned. "So much pain." She leaned forward, resting her forehead against Jadeite's warm shoulder.

He stroked her raven hair, wracking his brain for a solution, an explanation…anything. "Is she—"

Rei closed her eyes, swallowed, and concentrated on reinforcing the walls inside her mind. "She's alive," she said faintly, "but, Jade, something's wrong. I've never—I've never—"

She broke off and Jadeite tightened his grip around her.

"I think she's back," Rei whispered at last. "I need to—"

"No," Jadeite said firmly, "you don't. I'll go. You stay here."

Rei tried to protest, but he hushed her. "You're shaking like a leaf, love," he said gently. "Let me do this." He met her eyes through the darkness of their room and at last she nodded.

Jadeite slipped from their bed, pulled on a shirt and pants, and strode to the door leading out of their bedchamber. He knew exactly where to go. If Mina was back—if the Moon Queen or the Venusian government had seen fit to return her—there was only one place she would be.

Stepping out into the corridor, he padded barefoot up to the chambers Malachite shared with Mina. He hesitated only a fraction of a second before rapping sharply on the heavy wooden surface of the door.

There was no answer.

Jadeite rapped again. This time, the door opened.

—- —- —- —

Now that he understood, Mina's heartrending sobs tore at Malachite's soul. It was his fault she was crying. And as for why she was so weak…well, she had almost died two days before, had she not?

A jolt of panic shot through him, drowning out a knock on the door, and he turned toward Mina's room. Before he could take more than two steps, the knock sounded again. His eyes stayed fixed on her door, but years of training kicked in and he automatically turned to see what was wrong.

He wrenched the door open to find Jadeite standing on the other side.

"Malachite," the younger man began at once. "Is everything all right?"

Malachite stared at him for several seconds, taken aback. _How did he know?_ Then Jadeite continued and realization dawned, though it made little sense.

"Rei woke up in pain—said Mina was hurting. Is—"

Guilt knotted Malachite's insides. "She's back," he said gruffly. "Exhausted." Without further ado, he shut the door in Jadeite's face.

—- —- —- —

Jadeite blinked once, twice, and slowly stepped back. Malachite's face had been in shadows, untouched by the torches burning low along the corridor walls, but his lavender eyes blazed with a maelstrom of emotion. Jadeite couldn't pretend to know what was going on, but he knew his friend, and he knew Malachite loved Mina.

_Is she all right?_ Rei demanded through their link.

Jadeite shook his head and turned away. _No,_ he replied honestly, _but they're together now and I think she will be. _

—- —- —- —

At the moment, Malachite did not care what his fellow General might think of his behavior. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he rectify the wrong he'd done to the woman he loved.

Crossing the room, he flung Mina's door open, but hesitated on the threshold. Something like a vice tightened around his heart. Mina lay on the floor in a heap. Her sobs were louder now, no longer blocked by the door. The way her golden hair pooled around her in the moonlight, she could have been something from a legend—a lost, helpless nymph—but the hopeless pain radiating from her in waves spoke to her fragile humanity.

Malachite's hands curled into fists again. He had done that to her. The vice in his chest tightened another notch. There was much he still didn't understand, but it would have to wait.

Mina did not seem to realize he was in the room; she continued to murmur his name between sobs. Swallowing, Malachite knelt beside her and gathered her small frame into his arms. Then he stood and carried her to the bed. He sat on the edge and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.

For an instant, Mina was stiff and unyielding. She had to be imagining things—Malachite had never really held her before. She refused to open her eyes and continued crying, unwilling to discover this small measure of comfort was a figment of her imagination.

Helpless in the face of her tears, Malachite began to stroke her hair—awkwardly at first and then with growing steadiness—and murmured comforting words in her ear. "Forgive me for not believing you, Mina."

Gradually, Mina cried herself out and her sobs quieted. She clutched at Malachite's loose shirtfront like a lifeline—burrowing into his chest until it was difficult to say where she stopped and he began.

When she was calm enough to speak, though tears continued to stream down her cheeks to drench his shirt, she said brokenly, "I'm sorry. She needed me and I had to go. I'm so sorry." Her fingers tightened on his shirt, as though she expected him to leave.

Malachite pressed a kiss into her hair. "Don't cry. Please don't cry, Mina. Everything will be fine." He continued to hold her and stroke her hair; with every passing second he wondered how he could have possibly thought she wasn't his wife.

Eventually, Mina succumbed to her exhaustion. Cradling her sleeping body, Malachite vowed to discover precisely why she had been called away when she was clearly in no shape to go. _What has the Queen had her doing?_

Malachite shifted slightly and Mina stirred, murmuring his name. "I'm here," he told her, brushing a lock of golden hair out of her face. She quieted at the sound of his voice and a measure of peace stole over him. She was back where she belonged—in his arms—and even in sleep she seemed to know it. "I'll never let you go again."

Minutes ticked by and Malachite felt sleep beckon to him as well. He couldn't sit on the side of her bed all night and there was no way he was putting her down. Not now. That left only one option.

He leaned back, still cradling her, and swung his feet up onto the bed. Several throw blankets lay wadded up beneath the covers to give substance to the claim that Mina had been confined to her bed this entire time. He grabbed the closest one and draped it over the two of them as best he could with one hand before replacing his arm around Mina.

As he drifted off to sleep, he reflected on what part of him had always known—she fit perfectly in his arms. It was a frightening, yet exhilarating realization. _How, _he wondered silently, _did I live without her all these years?_

—- —- —- —

Mina was in no particular hurry to return to consciousness. A warm, comforting presence enveloped her; she was perfectly content to stay here forever. She snuggled up against the source of the warmth with a happy little sigh…and then realized it was breathing. Startled, she cracked one eye open. The other followed.

She was in her room, in her own bed, but she was not alone. Malachite lay beside her, sound asleep. Her head rested on his chest and his left arm encircled her waist protectively.

Mina swallowed as vague memories of the night before returned to her. He had stormed out, furious, but…he had come back. He had picked her up and held her and he was still here. A warm glow spread throughout her. _He didn't leave me alone._

Malachite turned a little in his sleep and pulled her closer. Mina splayed one hand on his chest, unable to restrain a smile. Closing her eyes, she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart until it lulled her back to sleep.

When she awoke again, she found him propped up on one elbow beside her. His face bore its usual composed expression, but his lavender eyes held a light she'd never seen before. Not even when he kissed her.

"Good morning," he said softly.

She stifled a yawn and replied, "Good morning."

He reached out to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Feeling better?"

Mina blinked and smiled sleepily at him. "I think so." Her voice sounded a little hoarse to her own ears, but she was sure it would pass.

Malachite was silent for a moment. The only sounds to be heard were the merry chirps of birds beyond her window. Then he cleared his throat. "Mina, forgive me for not believing you last night. It was —" a muscle in his jaw twitched, "—something of a shock. Finding out that you and Venus are one and the same, I mean."

She dropped her eyes to his throat, unable to meet his gaze. "That's what I was afraid of," she said quietly. Malachite frowned, but before he could press her to explain, she continued, "I'm sorry I disappeared in the middle of the night without warning. Queen Serenity needed me—I had to go."

Once started, Mina found her flow of words would not stop. She _couldn't_ stop. "I didn't want to keep it from you, but she swore us to secrecy and I couldn't—" she broke off, still staring anywhere but at his face. "I was afraid you'd be so angry you'd never speak to me again." Her voice cracked and she shook her head. "I—I can't live that way. I can't." Despite her best intentions, tears welled up in her eyes. Instinctively, she buried her face in his chest.

For a few seconds, Malachite held her shaking frame in silence while he sorted through everything she had said. Then he gently tilted her chin up so he could see her face. "Mina, am I to understand Queen Selenity forbade you from telling me—or anyone—about your identity as a—" his voice dropped to a low, almost inaudible rumble, "—Senshi?"

She dipped her head in a tiny nod.

The revelation disturbed him, but Malachite bypassed his unease to move on to the other statement that had cut him to the heart. "And you were afraid to tell me because you thought—" He couldn't bring himself to finish. The misery suddenly reflected in her blue eyes left him speechless.

Mina bit her lip and then took a deep breath. As difficult as it was, she forced herself to meet his gaze frankly. "Do you remember the first time you met Sailor Venus?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "You acted like you held some respect for her, but you couldn't stand me."

A muscle in his jaw twitched again. "No, I couldn't," he admitted. "At the time I found you rather irritating."

She smiled wryly. "Later, after you told me you thought I was a vapid flirt—"

Malachite winced.

"—I thought that if you found out we were the same person you would loathe both of us for eternity."

A hint of Mina's customary good humor colored her words, but Malachite felt their knife edge nonetheless. He was silent and still for a long moment. Then, quietly, he said, "Forgive me for those words, Mina. I was bitter about our marriage." He paused to clear his throat. "You turned my life upside down and I was convinced you couldn't stand me." His grip tightened on her hand, his thumb sweeping across her knuckles.

Mina bit her lip. _That explains a few things…but…_ She met his eyes again and asked the question that had been simmering in the back of her mind for weeks. "Malachite, who is Clarisse?"

To his credit, Malachite did not even blink. "A noblewoman who thought I was her stepping stone to money and prestige. I was on the verge of asking her father for her hand when she eloped with a wealthier man twice her age."

Mina's eyes widened in consternation and then softened with sympathy. "I see," she mustered. _No wonder he didn't like me_. Her gaze drifted away from Malachite, until he lightly gripped her chin again.

"She was much like you, Mina, but now that I look back I can see the hard, calculating edge beneath her smile. She was a greedy, self-serving creature." His mouth tightened. "After my initial surprise and public embarrassment, I was not sorry to be rid of her."

Mina bit her lip again and swallowed. "I was wrong too. I called you cold and unfeeling and you aren't really—you just control yourself better than most people." Even now, his tanned face bore no expression, but she knew he was taking in her every word.

Her heart began pounding again as she moved her free hand up to rest it on the side of his face. "I have something to confess."

Malachite stiffened an infinitesimal fraction—she would have missed it if she hadn't been in his arms—but his eyes remained unchanged.

"That morning we said such horrible things to each other…well, you see…" Her heart was thudding so loudly she was half-surprised it hadn't leapt from her chest. "I saw you smile later and I fell in love with you." She wriggled uncomfortably and dropped her gaze to the crumpled cover.

"You what?" Malachite asked blankly.

"I fell in love with you," she mumbled, flushing.

He stared at her rosy cheeks. Her words rang in his ears, but he hardly dared believe he understood them. "Because I smiled?"

Mina glanced up at him again. "Well," she said, defending herself against the incredulous tone in his deep voice, "You are extremely handsome when you smile." She tilted her head to one side. "You should do it more often."

Malachite rarely found himself at a loss for words, but as he stared at his golden-haired wife, nothing came to mind. Only the cool fingers against his cheek and the warm body beside his own confirmed he was in fact awake and not dreaming.

"I love you, Malachite," Mina said firmly. As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt lighter, as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Then she moved her hand to the back of his neck, pulled his head down, and kissed him.

The instant her lips brushed his, Malachite felt a gaping hole inside him heal over. His arms tightened around her shoulders, drawing her even closer as he returned the kiss.

After a few moments of bliss, they broke apart and Malachite rested his forehead against hers. She was looking at him with sparkling eyes, a brilliant smile lighting up her face. He thought he had never seen a more beautiful sight. Not even the legendary Moon Princess herself could rival his wife.

_She loves me_, he thought with something akin to awed wonder. _She loves me._

As if to prove it, Mina ran her fingers through his silver hair and said again, "I love you."

Malachite leaned in to kiss her but not before she'd seen the same sentiment reflected in his eyes.

Eventually, he propped himself up against the headboard and said offhand, "The palace hasn't been the same without you."

She tucked herself into his side with a smile. "I was only gone a day."

His fingers curled around her hand and for the first time he registered calluses. Abruptly, he turned her hand over and marveled. His hand was several times larger, his skin deeply tanned against her fair skin, but both their hands bore the same marks. "You've trained with a sword."

She nodded. "Part of Venus's duties."

Malachite ran his thumb over her palm. "Don't leave like that again," he said grimly. "Tell me first."

Mina looked up at him, hearing all the things he had left unsaid. Reality dropped its heavy veil over them again as she met his eyes. "If at all possible, I will."

He nodded and she hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you in the first place. I never meant to hurt you. It's just—"

"Duty," Malachite said flatly. "I understand duty, Mina." He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"I know you do."

"Speaking of duty," he said at last, "I'm afraid I have work to do."

Mina frowned. "True." _I just want to stay here_, she thought, closing her eyes. _I just want to stay in your arms and catch up on all the time we've missed but…_ Reluctantly, she disengaged herself from him and sat up, pushing her golden hair over her shoulder. "Do you think I'll be able to join you for breakfast?"

It suddenly struck Malachite she was wearing nothing more than a flowing silver negligee and the bandages to hide her so-called wound. "If you feel strong enough," he replied. Tearing his eyes away from her, he swung off the bed and headed toward her door. He briefly explained how they had concealed her disappearance and added, "I shall send your maids in to you—they'll be happy, I'm sure. Half the palace thinks I've locked you up."

To his surprise, Mina laughed and gave him an impish wink. "I'd find a way to escape." Malachite turned away, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth, and she slid out of the bed to pick up a hand mirror from beside her bed. She caught a glimpse of herself and made a face. "I look terrible," she muttered. A full night's sleep had done wonders, but she looked tired and drawn. And her hair…

Without warning, warm arms encircled her. "You are beautiful," Malachite said gruffly. He planted a feathery kiss on her neck. "Don't ever entertain a thought otherwise."

Mina blushed to the roots of her hair. "You're just saying that," she mumbled. His kiss made her stomach do strange flips.

Malachite turned her around, fixing her with a stern gaze. "Believe me, Mina. It's not something I say often."

She continued to blush. "You're sweet."

He grimaced. "Don't ever let Jade hear you say that."

"Oh?" Mina laughed. "Do we have a reputation to keep up?"

Malachite arched an eyebrow at her, but the warmth in his lavender eyes offset the reproachful look. "I suggest you get back into bed. Won't do for your maids to find you scampering around. They've been worried."

Mina sighed. "True." She climbed back into her bed and arranged the covers around herself, feeling an odd twinge of regret that he would not be joining her again. The thought made her cheeks flush. To distract herself, she snatched up a hairbrush from the small table beside the bed and began running it through her tangled locks.

Malachite turned to leave, but stopped with his hand on the door as a sobering thought struck him. He pivoted on his heel to face Mina. "You said the Queen swore you to silence?"

Mina winced as she worked out a particularly nasty snarl. "She did."

His eyes narrowed. "Then why tell me now? Because I found out?"

Mina blinked, startled by the change in his demeanor, and shook her head. "No. _No_. Didn't I tell you? Before I left last night, I asked her to release us from that oath." She smiled brightly at him. "I convinced her we could better protect Serenity if we worked with you Generals."

Malachite continued to stare at her, but for a different reason now. _Us. We._ The words jumped out him and for the second time in the last twelve hours, all the pieces fell into place. "The princesses are Senshi as well."

Mina held his gaze and slowly nodded.

Any other man would have displayed some sign of the enormous paradigm shift that had just occurred, would have taken a deep breath or a step back. Malachite stood motionless. "Are they going to tell their husbands?" His voice was level, but contained an edge.

Mina reared back as though slapped. "Of course!" she cried. "That was the whole point! I just think they ought to have a chance to—" She got no further.

Malachite closed the distance between them and cupped her face in his hands to kiss her. "That's all I needed to know," he murmured, looking down at her. He brushed the side of her face with his thumb and then disappeared into his room.

Mina looked after him, her hairbrush lying forgotten in her lap, and could not restrain a smile.

Malachite looked around his room with a smile, passing over the piles of work stacked up on his desk awaiting his attention stacked up on his desk. He felt young and strangely light. _She loves me._

—- —- —- —

True to his word, Malachite informed Mina's maids they had permission to attend her again, but warned them not to tire her with their chatter. Giselle, Joanna, and Trina descended on their mistress like a flock of mother hens, obeying him by lowering their voices. They fussed over her, gushing about the way her injury and Malachite's subsequent behavior had shocked everyone.

They were taken aback when Mina insisted she wanted to attend breakfast and protested, but she was adamant. In a few moments, they had dressed her in a charming gown of pale green—mindful of her 'injury'—and Mina proved she could walk more than a few steps without collapsing. She dismissed them with a cheerful smile and crossed into Malachite's room.

He looked up from his desk with a faint smile as she appeared in the doorway. "Are you ready?"

She nodded and then frowned. "Who knows?"

Malachite considered her. There was no need to ask what she meant. "Just Endymion, Nephrite, Zoicite, Jadeite, and the princesses."

"Well, this should be interesting," Mina said thoughtfully. She tucked her hand through the crook of his arm and smiled up at him. "I'm ready if you are."

They stepped out into the corridor and made their way through the palace to the Great Hal, garnering many astonished looks along the way. Mina beamed as servants bowed or dropped curtsies; she was not oblivious to the whispers that erupted in their wake. The palace gossip mill would be churning before the hour was up.

Malachite resigned himself to the madness. This could hardly be worse than the entire palace thinking he mistreated his wife.

When they swept into the Great Hall, they found everyone else at breakfast. Serenity caught sight of them first. With a small gasp, she rose from her chair and dashed across the Hall in a fluttering blur of pearlescent pink skirts.

"Mina!" she cried, flinging her arms around the Venusian princess. "You're all right! I've been so worried about you!"

Mina returned her princess's embrace. "I'm fine, Serenity," she said cheerfully. "Healing quite nicely."

After the King, Queen, and everyone else had greeted her, she and Malachite took their seats. The smile she directed at Malachite as he held her chair did not go unnoticed by anyone; more than one set of eyebrows rose and more than one person hid a knowing smirk.

As Mina glanced up and down the table, Rei caught her eye. _We need to talk_, her violet eyes seemed to say.

Mina nodded imperceptibly. _We will._

Whenever someone mentioned the incident—which only happened twice, thanks to the unspoken moratorium on the subject—Mina downplayed both her role and subsequent injury. Within moments, the only visible sign that anything at all had been amiss the last few days was the hint of white gauze peeking out of Mina's bodice.

Serenity laughed and chattered gaily, but every once in a while her silver-blue gaze rested on Mina's face, a sober question lurking in their depths. _What happens now?_

Ami, Lita, and Rei were in no better shape. They managed to sustain light conversation, but Mina felt the underlying tension slowly build in the Great Hall. That Malachite also picked up on that tension only disturbed them further.

Mina toyed with her goblet of fruit juice, sliding a fingertip through beads of condensation gathered on its surface. As soon as breakfast was over, she knew she would be whisked away and her friends would attempt to pry everything out of her.

Her eyes fell on Ami, who had not said a word throughout the meal. Her face seemed a little paler against the rich blue of her hair, and she had barely touched the food on her plate. Zoicite kept shooting her odd, half-concerned glances.

Mina's eyes narrowed, even as she continued to smile cheerfully. _That's interesting. _She noticed Jadeite's gaze flicking between her and Malachite and sent him a sly wink. Startled, the blond General turned back to his breakfast.

When at last King Edward and his wife rose from the table, everyone else stood as well. The Queen smiled at Serenity. "My dear, since Princess Mina is up and about again, I shall postpone our embroidery session until later this afternoon."

The Moon Princess beamed at her mother-in-law and dipped a curtsey. "Thank you, Majesty." She turned to Mina and hooked arms with her. "Come with me, Mina. You look pale—I think you need more rest."

One corner of Malachite's mouth twitched. It wasn't true, not by a long shot, but he recognized an excuse like that when he heard one.

Rei stepped away from the table without a backwards glance. "I believe I will join you, Serenity." Ami and Lita followed suit and the five princesses left the Great Hall in a rustle of skirts.

Endymion and his Generals, who weren't quite finished with breakfast, resumed their seats. Before any of them could say a word, Mina slipped free of Serenity's grasp and darted back through the Hall to Malachite. Leaning over his shoulder, she murmured in his ear, "Bring everyone to Serenity and Endymion's chambers as soon as you can."

"Thank you, Malachite," she said aloud, dropping a kiss on his cheek. Then she was gone—as was the blueberry muffin he had just buttered.

Endymion, Zoicite, Nephrite, and Jadeite all stared at the silver-haired general in shock. "What was that all about?" Zoicite asked, his voice tinged with a hint of awe.

Malachite stared down at his now-empty plate. "The little minx stole my muffin," he said ruefully.

Jadeite snorted under his breath. "That's not all she stole," he muttered.

The other men just blinked.

Endymion recovered first. "I'm happy for you, Mal. She appears to be feeling better." He lifted one dark eyebrow in an unspoken question.

Malachite met his Prince's cobalt gaze. "Yes. She took a turn for the worse last night, but she will be all right."

None of them had missed the fact that Mina had murmured something in his ear. And while Zoicite was half-afraid he'd be sticking his nose firmly into Malachite's private affairs, the larger part of him suspected something else. He glanced sideways down the table and asked in a low voice, "What did she tell you?"

Malachite's eyes made a slow sweep of the Great Hall before he spoke. One never knew who was listening. He drained the last of his coffee and set his mug down. "She requested that we join them after we complete our morning rounds."

Zoicite drew in a sharp breath, a tendril of something like triumph unfurling inside his chest. _I knew it,_ he thought. _This has something to do with the oath Ami couldn't tell me about._

He slapped a hand down on the table, rattling dishes, and sprang to his feet. "What are we waiting for? Let's go."

Jadeite and Endymion exchanged glances. Nephrite laughed. "Aren't you forgetting something, Zoi?" he asked, staring at his friend in amusement.

Zoicite's eyes flashed. Flicking a few stray strands of red-gold hair that had escaped his ponytail over his shoulder, he glared at the others. "Well? Are you coming or not?"

Endymion sent Malachite a considering sidelong glance. "What is this about?"

The fact that he automatically assumed his First General knew was not lost on Malachite. "I cannot say for certain."

"But you have an idea," Endymion prodded, still looking at him.

Malachite inclined his head.

"Good enough." The dark-haired prince rose from his seat. "Let's not keep the ladies waiting."

—- —- —- —

Serenity and the other princesses drew Mina through the palace corridors at a deceptively smooth pace belying how quickly they were moving. The Moon Princess did her best to maintain a cheerful expression, but Mina could feel the tension vibrating under her skin. They swept into the quarters Serenity shared with Endymion, pausing long enough for Serenity to produce a key and lock the heavy door.

Rei rounded on Mina, her mouth open to demand an explanation, but Serenity spoke before she could say a word.

"What did my mother want?" Though her voice remained level, her slender fingers knotted into her pale pink skirts.

Mina sighed and took a seat in the nearest chair. "She wanted to know what happened and if anything was being done to prevent a second incident."

Rei folded her arms across her chest. "That cannot possibly have taken you a day and a half."

"It did not." Mina lifted her chin and met the Martian princess's furious violet gaze coolly. "She also wanted Venus to do a sweep of the Palace grounds to ensure everything is as it should be."

"Is it?" Lita asked tightly.

"Yes." Mina glanced around the room, her gaze coming to rest on Ami. The Mercurian princess sat very still. "Ami? Is everything all right?"

Ami's cheeks flushed. "We've been worried about you. Malachite was worried about you." She lifted her head to meet Mina's eyes. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Mina, but I did what I thought was best." The stiff set of her shoulders told Mina she had already had this conversation with the others.

Mina smiled at her. "You did the right thing, Ami. The Queen needed to know." She looked from Rei to Lita. "It's what I should have done after we spoke the other day."

Both had the grace to look slightly abashed.

Serenity took a step forward. Her eyes were impossibly large. "What did she say?"

Mina sighed again. "I'll explain in a moment."

Rei's control finally snapped. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'LL EXPLAIN IN A MOMENT?" she exploded. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA—"

"The Queen has granted us permission to reveal our identities to the Generals," Mina said calmly, though her heart had begun to pound.

Rei stopped mid-tirade, her face slack with shock. Silence fell over the room. Then chaos broke loose.

"She did WHAT?" Rei shrieked.

"You mean—" Ami gasped, her navy blue eyes widening.

"We're free?" Lita's entire face lit with joy.

Mina waved a hand through the air. "Yes, she released us. I'll tell you the rest when Endymion and the Generals arrive."

Silence fell again. Rei skewered Mina with a deadly calm look that did not bode well for her future longevity. "You told them to join us?"

Mina lifted her eyebrows. "Actually, I told Malachite to bring them here after morning rounds, but knowing Zoicite," she quirked a half-smile at Ami, "they're probably on their way now."

Ami paled. "We'll have to tell them now?" she squeaked. She had been hoping for a little time to compose herself first.

Lita frowned at her. "Don't you think we had better?"

"Well, yes," Ami said, swallowing, "but—"

Serenity slipped an arm around her shoulders in a comforting hug. "It will be all right, Ami." She looked at Mina speculatively. There was something different about the Venusian princess today, a confident, happy glow that seemed to light her up from inside. "I assume you've already told Malachite?"

Mina nodded, stubbornly suppressing the painful moments of the night before.

Rei arched a raven eyebrow. "And he believed you?"

"Not at first." Mina shrugged. "But I convinced him."

A sharp knock sounded on the door.

Serenity jumped up and hastily unlocked it before swinging it wide for Endymion and the Generals. "Won't you join us?"

As he entered, the Prince gave her a keen, searching glance. She tried to smile at him, but he saw straight through her. Without a word, he laced their fingers together and led her over to a long divan.

He was not the only one to sense something amiss. Zoicite noted Ami's chalky pallor and Nephrite took in Lita's half-anxious, half joyful face, while Jadeite was clearly aware that Rei was angry.

They each strode forward, mildly alarmed, but Malachite remained standing just inside the door. His eyes fixed on Mina, the oddly calm epicenter of the room.

Endymion looked from Serenity to Mina and his eyes narrowed. "What is this all about, Princess?"

Mina held his gaze. "We have something to tell you."

Jadeite and Nephrite exchanged glances. Zoicite caught his breath. Malachite and Endymion remained unmoving.

"Something to do with your unscheduled trip to the Moon?" Endymion prompted.

Mina inclined her head.

An awkward pause ensued, until Ami abruptly took matters into her own hands. Rising to her feet, she linked arms with Zoicite and pulled him into Endymion's study. Rei and Lita followed suit, guiding their husbands into the two remaining rooms.

Mina stood up and gestured for Malachite to take her seat. He raised an eyebrow at her, but strolled across the room. Once he was comfortable, she perched on the arm of the chair beside him. Her eyes flicked from door to door and she bit her lip. _I hope they're having a better time of it than I did._

—- —- —- —

Ami closed the study door and leaned against it, her heart thumping against her ribcage. Then, taking a deep breath, she gathered her husband's hands into hers and looked up at him.

Zoicite watched her, his expression a blend of uncertainty, curiosity, and hope.

"I've been released from my oath, Zoi," she said quietly.

His leaf green eyes widened in anticipation, but almost immediately, irrational fear slammed into him. All of a sudden, he found he no longer wished to hear whatever she had to tell him—he was afraid of what she might say. "Ami—"

"I'm Sailor Mercury."

He started, staring down at her in shock. That…was probably the last thing he had expected her to say. _Sailor Mercury?_ He gulped. "That's not logical." Even as he said it, the pieces fell into place and he knew she told the truth. It scared him.

Palming her transformation pen, Ami took a step back and held up her right hand. "Mercury Power!" she called softly.

Zoicite could only watch in stunned silence as gleaming ribbons of blue light appeared and swirled around his wife's suddenly transparent body. As the bright lights faded, they revealed Sailor Mercury standing where Ami had been seconds before.

He reached out an unsteady hand and touched the jewel in her tiara, as if to assure himself she was actually real. Then he said brusquely, "You should power down. The energy levels you just radiated could attract that blasted Nemo's friends, if he had any."

Obediently, Ami allowed her transformation to slip away. She was grateful he did not appear to be suffering from sensory overload, but the shock in his eyes smote her conscience.

Zoicite blinked once, twice, and then his nostrils flared. "This is what Queen Selenity forbade you tell me?" he demanded, an edge sliding into his voice.

Ami nodded and bit her lip.

He looked away, clenching his jaw. _Why did she keep something of this magnitude from me? Oath or no oath she—_

"Are you very angry with me, Zoi?"

The dull pain in her voice was his undoing. Zoicite turned back to his wife to find her standing tall, her hands balled into fists.

His anger abruptly vanished. _Oaths…_ "You didn't have a choice, did you?"

Ami shook her head. "I wouldn't have kept this from you otherwise."

Zoicite sighed and held out his hands. "Come here." He enveloped her in a hug and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't blame you." Everything clicked into place. "Let me guess, the Council is behind this?"

"Yes." Ami slipped her arms around his waist and they stood in silence for a moment.

Then Zoicite surprised her by chuckling ruefully. "I should have realized who you were to begin with."

Puzzled, she lifted her head to look up at him. "What do you mean?"

He trailed a hand down the side of her face. "I should have known the odds were slim that two such beautiful, brilliant women would be living on the Moon at the same time."

"Zoicite!" Ami blushed.

"What?" He shrugged. "It's true."

She blushed again, but he could still see the worry on her face, corresponding to the mixed feelings still swirling angrily in his soul.

—- —- —- —

As Rei tugged him into Endymion and Serenity's bedchamber, Jadeite felt a sudden sense of foreboding. His wife's violet eyes still flashed, but she seemed more worried now than angry. He allowed her to push him into a chair and watched as she gathered her skirts about her to kneel before him. His hackles rose.

"I have something to confess, Jade."

His blood ran cold. Mina had just returned from the Moon—had something happened? Myriad thoughts flooded his mind, each worse than the last, all involving him losing Rei. Nevertheless, he attempted to crack a smile. "It can't be that bad, love."

Rei steeled herself. "I am the Senshi of Mars."

At first the words did not register. When they did, Jadeite felt a rush of relief so powerful he almost slumped in his seat. This…this was nothing compared to what he'd expected. "You're joking," he said with a laugh.

When the somber expression on her face did not change, he raised his eyebrows. "You're not joking?"

She shook her head. "Would it help if I showed you?" Without waiting for an answer, she shook out her skirts and thrust her hand in the air. "Mars Power!"

Jadeite stared, spellbound, as fire swirled around her body, threatening to consume her. If he had any doubts, they were burned away as the fire died to reveal a scarlet-and-white-clad Sailor Mars. His blue eyes raked up and down her body, lingering on her legs, and then he froze as reality finally crashed into him.

_No._

A memory of Mars sparring with Zoicite surfaced to the forefront of his mind. _She's a warrior._ All of a sudden, his life grew more complicated.

Rei abruptly detransformed and dropped to her knees beside his chair." I'm so sorry, Jade," she said in a choked voice, reaching up to brush a few strands of golden hair from his eyes. "I never wanted to keep this from you." The anger had vanished from her face and aura, leaving only deep sadness.

As he sat there motionless, staring blankly across the room, tears welled in Rei's eyes. _It isn't worth it. How can being a Senshi be worth it if it tears us from those we love and wish to protect?_

Anger she understood, could have faced. The blank betrayal on his face broke her heart. Bowing her head, Rei struggled to suppress the bitter sobs threatening to overwhelm her.

Seeing his proud, fearless wife break down into tears snapped Jadeite back to himself. He pulled her into his arms and smoothed a hand over her hair as she buried her face in his chest. "Rei, it's all right. Please, please don't cry."

He shifted her weight into one arm and tilted her tearstained face up to brush away the glittering drops clinging to her eyelashes. "Don't cry, love. It doesn't matter who you are—I love you regardless. I'll always love you."

Rei swallowed and her mouth twisted into a grief-stricken line. "Even though I've kept this from you? Even though my duty may pull us apart?"

_What?_ Jadeite pushed those words aside in order to focus on the first question. "Rei," he asked quietly, taking her by the shoulders. "why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I can." Rei sniffed.

Despite himself, Jadeite smiled. "Good enough." He shook his head. "Doesn't mean I like the fact that you're a Senshi—frankly the idea of you being involved in a battle scares me to death—but I'm glad you're able to protect yourself if something happens to me."

It wasn't a possibility he wanted to dwell on, but with rumors of those…_things_…floating around…

Rei's fingers tightened on his uniform jacket and he gentled his voice. "I respect that you have the same bond to Serenity as I have to Endymion." He suddenly grinned. "And I must admit it is gratifying to know who gave Zoicite that sound thrashing back when we were visiting the Moon."

"Oh, really?" Rei gave him a shaky smile and arched an eyebrow. "Would you like to know who _you_ were up against?"

Jadeite paused. Then his grin widened. "Tell me."

—- —- —- —

Nephrite regarded his wife with amused curiosity as she all but barricaded them in Serenity's sitting room. Lita drew herself up to her full height and faced him with squared shoulders. She looked, he thought fondly, like a woman ready to do battle. "What is the matter, darling?"

Lita wet her lips. "I haven't been entirely honest with you about myself, Neph. Not because I wanted to," she hurried on, her words tumbling over themselves at the way his eyes narrowed, "but because I was under orders not to tell anyone. Not even you." Her hands curled into fists at her side.

Nephrite stared at her, wracking his brain for some sort of explanation. It wasn't another man—he knew very well she had been a virgin their wedding night—so perhaps…"You _are_ Jovian royalty, aren't you?" he demanded, perplexed.

Lita nodded. "But I'm also Sailor Jupiter."

In spite of himself, Nephrite's mouth dropped open. The stars had said nothing about this; he would have known if they had, wouldn't he? He tried to speak, but nothing came out. He cleared his throat and started again. "You—you're Jupiter?"

Lita threw her hand into the air. "Jupiter Power!"

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as searing flashes of lightning crackled around Lita's body. Before his very eyes, his princess turned into the Senshi of Jupiter.

For a moment, Nephrite could only stare. Jupiter stood before him, exactly as he remembered her from the Moon. _How_, he thought, reaching out a wondering hand to finger the end of the pink bow adorning her chest, _did I not see this before?_ The same hair, the same clear green eyes, the same everything.

Suddenly, the heavy emphasis the stars had placed on Lita and Jupiter from the beginning made more sense.

"Nephrite?" Jupiter asked tentatively, stretching out a gloved hand.

He caught her hand in his and raised it to his lips. "Delighted to see you again, Sailor Jupiter," he drawled with a charming smile.

It was her turn to gawk. "You're not angry?"

"With you?" Nephrite shook his head. "No. The Council, however…" His smile dimmed and his eyes hardened. "That's another story."

He tugged her into his arms and Lita realized with a happy smile he was still several inches taller than she was.

"I must say," he murmured in her ear, "it is not every day a man finds himself married to one of the most beautiful and powerful women in the universe."

A blush staining her cheek, Jupiter closed her eyes and allowed her transformation to slip away. "What are you talking about?"

Nephrite laughed. "Do you remember when you went up against Malachite?"

"Yes." She made a face. "I lost."

His arms tightened around her. "You almost had him. And that, my dear, is more than most men on Earth can say."

* * *

I'm really pleased with how this chapter turned out, though not so sure about the chapter title. Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought!


	11. Part 10: A Gathering Storm

_Disclaimer_: I don't own Sailor Moon, never have, never will. :( I'm just borrowing the characters. All hail the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi for creating this fabulous series.

_AN:_ Hello again! Here's the next revised section of FLOD-and the second-to-last chapter that needed extension revision. We're getting there! (Actually, this little darling is the entire reason I went back to revise in the first place-a few of the details I'd slipped in here came back to bite me later.)

In other news, the first book in my sci-fi series is being published next month! I'm excited. :)

Special thanks go to sorahanachan, skyhighdreamer, and Zylvie Meinfield, and of course, all of you who have left me reviews and encouraged me to continue. Hope you enjoy!

_"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the light. No one comes to the Father except through me." ~ John 14:6_

* * *

**For Love...or Duty **

**Part 10:**

**A Gathering Storm**

As his Generals vanished with their wives, Endymion looked at Serenity in confusion. Then he turned to Mina and Malachite, who had not moved. "Aren't you two going to disappear as well?"

Mina shook her head, sending tendrils of golden hair flying. "No, my Prince. We have already had our discussion."

Endymion cocked a dark eyebrow. "Oh, have you? Then perhaps you could explain to me what exactly is going on here." He leaned forward, disapproval etched into the tanned planes of his face. "I dislike being left in the dark."

Beside him, Serenity bit her lip, her blue eyes wide and uncertain.

Mina darted a glance at her before focusing on Endymion. "We have a confession to make about our roles on the Moon." She was grateful for Malachite's solid presence at her side.

Endymion eyed her dubiously. Not only was this entire affair setting off his internal warning bells, but Mina was…not acting like herself. Her voice was unusually serious; in fact, if he had not known better, he would have thought the glint in her cornflower blue eyes matched Malachite's when he was briefing soldiers. Choosing his words carefully, he said, "You are princesses of the Inner Planets. What else is there to know about you?"

Mina casually inspected her nails. "We're also the Senshi."

The prince almost choked. "What?" _That _he had not been expecting. Stunned, he looked at his First General, who wore a faint expression of wry amusement. "The four of _you_ are the _Senshi_?"

His head spun with a whirlwind of conflicting information. What had the Moon Queen _done?_ Four Sailor Senshi living in Earth's royal palace, each of them daily in close proximity to the King, Queen, Endymion himself—and Serenity. _Serenity._

Endymion's deluge of emotion froze over in an instant. The Senshi were his wife's sworn protectors. _Of course._ "You are the Senshi." It made a surprising—albeit disturbing—amount of sense.

Mina nodded. Then she posted one hand on her hip and canted her head to one side like a bird. "Would it help if I proved it?"

The prince still being in a state of shock—highly unusual for him—Malachite answered. "Show us." He directed his words to Mina, but his speculative lavender gaze rested on his liege, watching to see how well he took the news. _Better than I did_, he thought with an internal grimace.

Slipping off the arm of the chair in a rustle of pale green skirts, Mina straightened and threw her hand into the air. "Venus Power!" She closed her eyes at the familiar rush of comforting power.

As Endymion and Malachite watched in combined fascination and awe, a shining chain of hearts swept around Mina. In a flash—a blaze of golden light—the Princess of Venus no longer stood before them. In her place was the Senshi of Venus.

Venus flipped a lock of gold hair over her shoulder and turned a gloved hand palm up. "Well?"

Endymion finally found his voice. "This is unbelievable." He cast a dumfounded look at his wife, who unexpectedly dissolved into laughter. "What, may I ask, is so amusing?"

"Oh, Endy." Serenity threw her arms around him. "You should have seen the look on your face!" His face settled into grim lines, but she continued, "Yes, Mina and the others are the Senshi. They're my protectors."

"Just as we are yours, Prince," Malachite interjected quietly. He was still staring at Mina—_No, Sailor Venus_, he corrected himself. Again, he wondered why he had never connected the dots before.

A shadow passed over Endymion's face. He put an arm around Serenity and pulled her into his side as he met Venus's steady gaze. "That would explain why you jumped in front of her, wouldn't it, Venus?"

The golden Senshi bowed stiffly. "It is my duty."

"However," Endymion's voice became sterner, "it does _not_ explain why you have kept this knowledge a secret. How long did you intend to keep us in the dark?"

Venus straightened and allowed her transformation to dissipate. "We had our orders, Endymion."

"Orders?" Endymion's eyes widened and then he looked down at his wife in disbelief. "You ordered your guardians to say nothing of this?

Serenity shook her head violently, her face draining of all color. "No!" she protested loudly. "I would never do that! Endy, you of all people should _know_ I would never do that." She took his hands in hers and stared up at him, willing him to see the truth in her face. "My mother forbade me to tell you. She said the Senshi were responsible for that."

Her breath hitched and tears gathered in her eyes. "I thought that meant they'd be able to share the news after the wedding. I was wrong."

Endymion's face darkened and he turned back to Mina, who was still standing calmly in the middle of the room. "You had better have a good explanation for this, Princess," he said in a low, cold voice. He ignored the admonishing look Malachite sent him.

Mina spread her hands. "We swore an oath of silence, Endymion. None of us could say a word until the Queen released us from it last night before she sent me back to Earth."

"Why would she require an oath?" Endymion demanded. "Why the secrecy? What was she thinking?"

Mina's face was expressionless, but her eyes held a trace of sympathy. "It wasn't just Queen Selenity's idea," she said carefully. "She passed the decision along to us, yes, but it belonged—both officially and unofficially—to the Council. They wanted to be certain Earth could be trusted before..."

It was the wrong thing to say.

The prince's eyes glinted with cold fury. Rising to his feet, he advanced on Mina. "They wanted to be certain EARTH could be trusted?"

Malachite was halfway out of his chair, fingers tightening on the armrests. No man, not even the prince, would lay a finger on Mina. Not while he stood by. He relaxed a fraction as Endymion halted two feet from Mina, but he remained ready to intercede.

Her heart thudded in her chest, but Mina stood her ground. "Yes."

"Endy—" Serenity began, but her husband held out his hand for her to be silent. She narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

In one fluid motion, the Moon Princess rose to her feet and moved to stand beside Mina facing her husband. Her long golden ponytails swirled around her slim figure. "Endymion, listen to me. For the last four hundred years, the Silver Alliance has sent envoy after envoy to Earth and the Royal Family has always refused to rejoin. Until now."

Mina silently cheered.

Endymion met her gaze. "What are you saying, Serenity?"

She tilted her chin. "I'm saying that my mother and the rest of the High Council are still concerned about the rumors they have heard of strange happenings on Earth." She laid a hand on his chest and peered up into his face. "_You_ know that, Endy. It's the main reason negotiations for Earth's entry took so long. They wanted us to have a layer of protection if something happened."

A muscle in the dark-haired prince's jaw twitched, but before he could speak, a soft voice said, "That is correct, Your Highness."

Ami and Zoicite emerged from the study, arm-in-arm. Ami's face was slightly flushed, but her eyes held a peaceful calm. She nodded to Serenity. "Excellent explanation."

"Yes," Rei said as she and Jadeite swept back into the room. "Now we know there's actually something in your head."

"Besides Moon rocks," Lita added teasingly from the other side of the room. Nephrite's arm was around her waist; she positively _glowed_ with happiness.

Serenity smiled, but did not laugh. Her silvery blue eyes were fixed on her husband.

"Ahem." Jadeite cleared his throat loudly. "I hate to interrupt this tender moment, but—"

"There are still things to be discussed," Mina finished.

The blond general shot her an odd look. "You mean there's more?"

Rei leaned close to him and whispered, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He glanced down at her and was a little bit taken aback by the predatory smile on her face. "Rei..." he trailed off doubtfully.

Zoicite's sharp green eyes glanced about the room, lingering on each princess appraisingly. "All of you are Senshi?" He received three nods.

"Care to introduce yourselves?" Nephrite drawled. His arm tightened around Lita. "I know who my wife is, but who are you?"

"I'm Mars," Rei informed them.

Ami held her hand up shyly. "Mercury."

"Jupiter." Lita held her head high.

Mina smiled mischievously. "I am Venus."

Jadeite stared at her in shock. "You're Venus?" When she nodded, he shook his head. "And here I thought Sailor Venus was a stick-in-the-mud serious type like Mal!"

Rei rolled her eyes. "Obviously, you were wrong."

Mina winked at Jadeite. "You may think that if you like, but I could not possibly comment."*

"Well...," Lita began thoughtfully, straightening her skirts, "Mina has her moments. When she's Sailor Venus, she really _is_ as serious as you are, Malachite."

"Now _that_ is a frightening thought." Zoicite shook his head mournfully. "Mal's bad enough."

"They deserve each other," Nephrite said with a chuckle.

Mina laughed. "You are terrible." She flounced over to Malachite's chair and perched on the armrest again. "Can you believe they're talking about us this way?" She swept her golden hair out of the way and it spilled over onto Malachite's arm.

"Yes," he replied. "It's perfectly normal." Absently, he began to finger the glittering strands streaming down her back.

"Well, I think they're just jealous."

Nephrite smiled but refrained from answering as he and Lita sat down together. Endymion and Serenity settled back down, and Ami and Zoicite joined them.

Jadeite, however, wasn't as wise. He cast a mock-serious glance at the First General. "Are we mellowing, Malachite?"

Malachite leveled his lavender eyes at his friend. "Do you really believe that?" His voice was deceptively calm.

The younger general just smiled and pulled Rei down onto a couch beside him.

The jovial atmosphere faded rapidly, giving way to an awkward, stilted silence. Rei solved it by turning to Malachite and asking, "Tell us about these powers of yours." She nodded to her husband. "Jade wouldn't say a thing."

Malachite's eyes flitted to Endymion, who inclined his head. "Zoicite."

"Ah, yes." Zoicite straightened in his seat. "Our powers." He shrugged. "It's fairly straightforward. Each of us was born with special gifts."

Ami glanced sideways at him, her face brightening. "Such as the 'gift' Malachite used to heal Mina?"

"Exactly," Jadeite put in. He waved a hand to Nephrite. "Neph here can create a sword out of nothing."

"It is not 'nothing'," Zoicite said sternly. "How many times do I have to remind you he manipulates—"

Jadeite held his hands up in mock-surrender. "Not another lecture, Zoi."

Zoicite glared at him, but subsided. Ami squeezed his hand. "Annoying, isn't it?" she murmured. He gave her a small, rueful smile.

Mina raised an eyebrow at Nephrite. "You can create a sword out of thin air? That is quite an accomplishment."

The brown-haired General shrugged. "Merely a gift."

"Amazing." Lita shook her head.

Nephrite gave her a fond look. "Sometime I forget it must seem that way. Much like your transformation, I think."

Zoicite cleared his throat. "I create and manipulate crystals."

"Really? What do you do with them?" Ami rested her chin in her hands as she studied her husband.

Zoicite shrugged. "I can form crystal daggers as well as crystals for other purposes such as honing crystals, focusing crystals, and the like."

"Useful skill," Rei commented approvingly.

Jadeite sent her a keen sideways glance. "I have control over fire."

She looked up at him so sharply that everyone else fought the urge to laugh. "Is that so?"

His face the picture of innocence, Jadeite nodded. "Really and truly."

"We'll see about that." Rei tossed her head and the ends of her black hair flicked him in the face.

"Must you do that?" Jadeite wrinkled his nose.

"Do what?" she inquired in an equally innocent voice.

Despite the situation, Endymion had to smother a smile. Jadeite had never been like this before he met and married the Martian Princess. "If you two intend to argue," he said mildly, "kindly take it elsewhere."

Suddenly realizing everyone was watching them, Rei froze. Two bright spots burned in her cheeks, but she managed a regal nod.

"Apologies," Jadeite said. No one knew to whom it had been addressed.

Mina turned her head to lock eyes with Malachite. "And you heal people." He had been silent throughout the entire exchange—quite possibly because her hair had held the bulk of his interest, but she doubted he had missed a word.

He nodded curtly.

She rested a hand on his shoulder, not even bothering to pretend to be steadying herself. _I can see how that gift might be viewed as a strange burden_. It wasn't every day one ran into a military commander with a knack for healing people on the brink of death.

"Now that we've all been properly introduced…" Lita leaned forward, her face taking on a serious cast. "Why did Queen Selenity recall you to the Moon, Mina?"

_Here it comes._ Stiffening her spine, Mina took a deep breath. Then, slowly and carefully, she explained everything that had happened since she disappeared from the palace. She deliberately held the news about Serenity being sent back to the Moon for last. It would be the hardest to break.

By the end of the first part of her tale, Endymion and his Generals all wore frowns. The dark-haired Prince shook his head. "We are not the only ones being bothered by Beryl's minions."

"No," Mina said.

"Is Mother well?" Serenity asked anxiously, twisting her delicate fingers together.

"She's fine, Princess," Mina assured her. "Tired and worried, but otherwise in perfect health."

Visible relief washed over the Moon Princess. "Good."

Malachite frowned. "I don't like this," he said frankly. "Where does this Beryl think she's going? There is really no point in harassing the Outer Planets—or the Inner Planets for that matter. The Moon or even Earth itself would be more logical."

"I agree," Zoicite said. "Logistically speaking, it would make more sense for her to attack the Moon because your Queen has the power of the Silver Imperium Crystal."

_I don't want to have to tell them this. _"There's more," Mina said softly, brushing a lock hair over her shoulder. She closed her eyes briefly to gather her courage, and then opened them.

Endymion suddenly felt a peculiar sensation in his stomach, as if he was being carried hundreds of feet above the ground and suspended there. "More?" he echoed suspiciously.

The Venusian nodded, her face solemn. "If Beryl attacks the Earth, Queen Selenity has issued orders that we must escort the Princess to the Moon."

"No." The Prince's stomach came crashing down; his voice was barely audible. _She wouldn't do that to us. She couldn't._

"I'm afraid so, Endymion." Mina's tone was apologetic, but firm.

"No!" Serenity jumped to her feet, clenching her hands into tiny fists. "I won't go! You can't make me, Mina. I won't leave Endymion!" Her blue eyes filled with swirling blue and silver as she glared heatedly at her friend.

Mina did not flinch. "Your mother has decreed it. If Earth is attacked, you MUST go to the Moon. I'm sorry, Sere, but it is your duty as the Moon Princess—"

"I'm not just the Moon Princess anymore! I'm a Princess of Earth now too. And I refuse to abandon Earth!" Serenity was trembling from head to foot.

Endymion and his Generals stared at her in shock. They had never seen the delicate, always-smiling, always-cheerful Princess truly upset. The Senshi were accustomed to the crying and wailing she'd done on occasion, but this...?

For their part, Ami, Lita, and Rei were profoundly glad that the golden-haired sprite's anger was not directed towards them. At least not yet.

"Serenity." Endymion finally found his voice. "Calm down." Wrapping his arms around the slender Moon Princess's shaking form, he held her tightly. As he did, he fought the ache that just _thinking_ about losing her created in his heart.

"I won't leave you," she murmured into his chest, her hands still balled into fists.

"Well?" Endymion looked at Mina coldly over the top of his wife's head.

Mina rose to her feet with all the grace of a warrior. Her cornflower blue eyes were hard, but filled with the weary sadness of one who has had to deliver too much bad news. "Should the riots and other problems here escalate, we'll be taking her back to the Moon. I'll do it alone, if it comes to that, but we _will_ leave."

Lita, Ami, and Rei exchanged stricken glances.

"I don't want to go," Serenity repeated, still holding fast to Endymion.

"You're the heir to the Moon Kingdom and quite possibly the Silver Alliance as well," Mina retorted. "You have a responsibility and a duty to your people to stay alive and unharmed."

Eyes swimming with tears, Serenity lifted her head to face Mina. "Don't do this to me, Mina. Please."

"It's not in my hands. You know that, Princess."

Endymion spoke into the sudden silence that fell over the room. "Let me see if I understand you, Princess. Should we fall under attack, my wife is packed off to the Moon—"

"We will be going with her," the Venusian interjected.

"—and I won't be able to see her again until things are calm again?" he inquired icily.

Mina's eyes widened in shock. "Of _course_ you'll be able to see her, Endymion. The Queen said you'd be allowed full visiting privileges, which means access to the Moon at all times." _Well, that's a bit of a stretch_, she thought to herself, _but I'll insist on it myself if need be._ "And remember, this is only if—IF—Earth is bothered."

"What right does your Queen have to decree this?" the Terran prince demanded.

The golden Princess began to tick off reasons on her fingers. "The right of a ruler protecting her heir—"

"Serenity is _my_ wife," Endymion cut in. "It is my duty and privilege to protect her. I don't need Queen Selenity telling me how to do that."

"With all due respect, Endymion," Ami interjected calmly, "how _do_ you propose to accomplish that?" Ignoring the startled looks being sent her way, she focused her navy gaze on the Prince. "Let us suppose for a moment that Earth _is_ attacked. You command the armies. No doubt you'll be sent out in the field with them. Do you intend to take Serenity with you?"

Malachite and the other Generals listened expectantly. Zoicite glanced at Ami with the hint of a smile on his lips. _Good job,_ he complimented her silently. He didn't like the way this conversation was going, but his wife had latched onto a valid question.

"Good point." Lita nodded towards the blue-haired Mercurian. Then her eyes flitted back to rest on Endymion. "What _will_ you do? I don't think you'll be able to take her with you—"

"A battle field would not be safe for her," Nephrite agreed.

"—and you obviously can't leave her here unprotected." The tall Jovian ran a hand through her brown ponytail. "Even though we'd be here with her, we aren't enough of an opposing force to prevent a large enemy force from..." she trailed off, emerald eyes suddenly very intent on the smooth tiles of the floor.

"We'd make a dent in them though," Rei said grimly.

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Serenity said sharply, raising her head from its resting place on her husband's chest. She looked up at him pleadingly. "I could go with you, Endy. I could."

Slowly, Endymion shook his head. He placed his hand on her cheek, his stormy eyes soft and sad. "No, they're right. That would be too dangerous." He ran a weary hand over his face. "As much as I loathe to admit it, the Moon is the only viable option."

"No!" Serenity freed herself from his grasp and stepped back defiantly. "I won't leave you."

Endymion grasped her hands and raised them to his lips. "Serenity, don't worry. I won't let you go without a fight. Nothing but a real emergency would cause me to even consider sending you up there."

The golden-haired princess swallowed, trying to hold back more tears, and gave him a watery smile. "I-I believe you."

Endymion turned to give Mina a pointed look. "Anything else we should know?"

Mina spread her hands. "I've told you everything." Shaking her blonde hair out of her face, she tucked a few strands back behind her ribbon. She was trying to give the impression that she was completely unaffected by her Princess's show of emotion, but in truth, she was almost shattered. Informing Serenity and Endymion they might have to be separated was quite possibly the hardest thing she'd ever done in her life.

"Will you excuse us please?" Serenity asked very quietly.

Almost of one accord, the other Princesses and the Generals rose to their feet. Jadeite clapped Zoicite on the shoulder. "Time to do all those things we would have done this morning if you hadn't—" The rest of his sentence was lost as he walked out the door.

"I'm going to the garden," Lita announced. She kissed Nephrite on the cheek. "I'll see you later, dear."

He placed a hand on his heart. "Of course, my lady."

Ami caught Zoicite's arm as he was being unceremoniously dragged down the hall by a grimly determined Jadeite. "I'm going to the library to do some research," she murmured in his ear.

Green eyes full of understanding, he nodded. Quickly, he kissed her, and then marched off to fulfill his duties.

_I'm going to stay here and talk to Serenity when she and Endymion are finished_, Rei sent to Jadeite. _Do try to stay out of trouble. I mean it._

_I'm sure I don't know what you mean, _the blonde general shot back, as he pulled Zoicite down the hall. _See you at dinner, sweetheart._

Mina was among the last to leave, and as she did, she was well aware of Serenity's silver-blue eyes on her. Eyes now full of hurt, betrayal, and pain. _Why?_ they seemed to ask. She forced herself to stand tall as she exited.

Jadeite happened to look back, and abruptly nudged Zoicite. "Zoi, look."

"What now?" Zoicite grumbled in exasperation.

"Just look."

Zoicite cast a long-suffering glance over his shoulder. To his surprise, Malachite was following Mina down the hall. From the looks of it, Mina had not yet noticed. "Those two appear to be getting along better," he remarked. "He's finally admitting to himself that he cares about her."

"I'd say so," Jadeite agreed. "It's about time. Come on, Zoi. Let's get to work. We can rib him about it later."

"You mean _you_ can rib him later," the Second General retorted with a sniff of disapproval.

—- —- —- —

Mina maintained a thoughtful look on her face as a mask for her true feelings until she reached the quarters she shared with Malachite. She stumbled through the doorway, almost blinded by the tears that suddenly rose in her eyes. The look on Serenity's face cut her to the heart.

Sinking down onto the floor, unmindful of her skirts, she buried her face in her hands. _It's not right! Why am I always the one to be the harbinger of bad news?_

_Would you rather one of the other Senshi had been tasked with it? _her annoying inner voice asked.

_No, but—_ A hand touched her shoulder and Mina turned, hurriedly brushing away the traces of her tears. "Oh, it's you." She refused to meet her husband's concerned gaze.

Malachite knelt on the smooth floor beside her. "It's not easy, is it?" he said, his voice unusually gentle. "Being the one who has to carry on in spite of everything."

Not trusting herself to speak, Mina just shook her head. Her eyes were still brimming with tears and she struggled to keep them back.

Malachite debated with himself for only a second before he tugged her into his arms. She came willingly and he rested his chin on the top of her head. "You've had a rather interesting week, haven't you?"

Perhaps it was bland and inane, but it was the first thing that came to mind. When his wife's shoulders began to shake, he loosened his grip and looked down at her in alarm. "Mina? Are you all right?"

It was only then that he realized that she was laughing—not sobbing as he'd feared.

"Oh, my," she got out, amid fits of giggles. "Yes, Mal, I suppose you could say that I had a very interesting week." She collapsed against him, burying her face in his chest and inhaling his crisp, clean scent. "How about you?" she asked in a muffled voice.

Malachite chuckled softly. "About the same as yours, I think."

Mina raised a hand and tenderly smoothed a few silver strands of hair out of his face. "That bad, eh?"

His lips curved in a wry half-smile. "Well, the love of my life did disappear, you know. That was rather stressful."

Mina froze. Then, feeling a blush burn her cheeks, she dropped her hand and looked down. Internally, she panicked._ What do I say? What do I do? _Her heartbeat sped up and she took a deep breath, trying to calm it.

"Mina." Tilting her chin up to see her face, Malachite looked at her seriously. "Don't trouble yourself about this. Endymion doesn't like the news, but he _is_ sensible. Eventually, he'll admit that this plan is for the best. Although," his eyes darkened a little, "I can't say that I particularly care for the idea myself."

Mina shrugged, the movement sending ripples through her mane of golden hair. "There wasn't anything I could do. There isn't anything I can do now besides my duty." Her cornflower blue eyes suddenly blazed. "And I _will _o my duty."

"I know."

She looked at Malachite, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. _Yes. He does know. He faces the same dilemma. But somehow...somehow I know we'll get through this together._ Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Mal."

He raised an eyebrow. "For what?" Her mercurial moods sometimes left him internally reeling.

"For being here for me."

Simple though they might seem, those words did wonders for Malachite's heart. Taking her hand, he raised it to his lips. "You are welcome."

Her cheeks tinting pink again, Mina smiled and gently disengaged herself from his arms. "Well, no time like a gift. I've got to talk to Serenity and you," she poked his chest, "have work to do. And we can't have the First General not attending to his duty, now, can we?"

"Of course not, my lady," he agreed smoothly, helping Mina to her feet. Before she could react, he leaned down and kissed her. Then he strode for the door. He paused long enough to send her a roguish smile over his shoulder. "We'll straighten all this out, I promise you."

Her stomach still doing flip-flops, the golden princess could only nod. She stood in the middle of the room for a few moments after he'd gone, trying to compose herself. She wanted him to kiss her again…and again…but they didn't have time for that. She straightened her shoulders. _Time to see how Serenity is._

—- —- —- —

After everyone departed, Serenity wrapped her arms around Endymion's waist again and rested her head on his chest. "Don't make me go, Endy. I don't want to leave you."

He trailed a hand through one of her long ponytails. "I don't want you to go either. But…" a muscle in his jaw clenched, "I'm beginning to think it will be the best way to keep you safe."

"What?" Serenity gasped. Freeing herself from his grasp, she demanded indignantly, "You'd send me away?"

He reached for her, but she stepped back. Head held high, back straight, she faced him, hurt and fury evident in every inch of her slender frame. "Endy, you'd send me to the Moon? Away from you and home and—and everything?"

Endymion frowned. "Sere, the Moon _is_ your home."

"_Was_," she corrected. "My home is with you now, Endy."

"Serenity," he said quickly, taking her by the shoulders, "I love you. I want to keep you safe from harm. If sending you to the Moon will protect you, then I'll do it."

"But—"

The dark-haired prince placed a finger to her lips. "Don't fight me on this, Sere. It's just a precaution. In case the worst does happen. Your mother—" he sighed, and shook his head, "—your mother just wants to keep you from getting hurt. I understand that." He pulled her close and rested his forehead against hers. "Believe me, Sere, I won't let you go unless it's absolutely necessary."

Serenity bit her lip. "Endy

"I can't take you with me," he told her softly. "War is brewing, my love, and I want you to be somewhere where I won't have to worry. If something were to happen to you, I'd—" His voice cracked and he trailed off, closing his eyes against his inner fears of losing her. When he opened them again, they were stormy with emotion. "I'd lose my mind."

Two crystal tears slipped down Serenity's cheeks, but she tried to smile. "I understand, Endy. I do." She launched herself into his arms. "I don't want anything to happen to you either. I love you so much, Endy."

"I know," he replied, before kissing her.

Several pleasurable moments later, Endymion reluctantly pulled away. "I need to talk to my father about all this." He ruffled his wife's bangs affectionately and kissed her one more time.

As he crossed the room, Serenity called out, "Endy, don't be angry with Mina. She's only doing what she's been doing all her life—protecting me."

His mouth tightened briefly, and then he relaxed and nodded. "I won't."

After he had gone, Serenity sat down in a patch of sunlight on the forest green couch and drew her knees up to her chest. She stared out the window, watching the birds and observing how the wind gently stirred the flowers below in the royal gardens. A sudden, tentative knock brought her back to reality. "Come in," she called.

The door opened to admit Rei. "Serenity, are you well?"

The fact that she failed to start off with sarcastic banter alerted Serenity to the fact that the Martian princess was quite serious. She smiled half-heartedly. "I'm upset, Rei, but I'll survive."

Nodding, Rei brushed a lock of raven hair out of her face. "I know what you mean. The thought of leaving Jade behind just—" She twisted her hands together uncomfortably before bursting out, "I love him, Sere, and I can't imagine life without him. But if leaving here will keep you safe, then I'll do it. I would do it in a heartbeat."

"I know you would, Rei, and I appreciate it." Serenity looked her friend in the eye. "But if it came to a choice between Jade and me? What would you do then?"

"What do you mean?" the fire princess asked, her voice strangely calm despite the shock and premonition the question sent racing through her.

The Moon Princess's blue eyes were troubled. "If your duty to protect me made you choose between Jade's life and mine, what would you do?" She held up a hand. "In all seriousness, Rei. Would you sacrifice Jade to save me?"

Rei bowed her head. "I-I don't know. I'd like to think that I would fulfill my destiny as a Sailor Senshi, but—"

"It would kill you to lose Jade," a soft voice finished.

Both princesses turned sharply towards the door. Neither of them had been aware that anyone else had entered. Mina stood with her back to the door, having just pushed it closed.

"Have you forgotten you're supposed to _knock_?" Rei snapped, more out of surprise at being taken unawares than any real anger.

Mina gave her a look, one the raven-haired princess knew well. It was the look Mina wore when she was Sailor Venus and she had a mission. "My apologies, Princess." She curtseyed to Serenity.

The Moon Princess rolled her eyes. "You know you don't have to do that. You never even bother unless…" she trailed off, a catch in her voice. The rest of her sentence was left unsaid.

Sensing the burning determination and inner tumult engulfing Mina's aura, Rei stood. "I'll come back later, Sere." With a swish of scarlet silken skirts, she vanished from the room, leaving Mina and Serenity alone.

Mina swallowed. "I'm so sorry, Sere. I don't want to hurt you with all this."

Serenity sighed. "I know. You had orders."

"Yes."

The Moon Princess patted the seat next to her, regaining a little of her old spark. "Have a seat, Mina, and let's talk about this."

Mina curled up on the couch and took Serenity's hand. "I don't want us to have to leave," she said earnestly. "I hope we can stay here with them for the rest of our lives. It's just—" She broke off as Serenity giggled.

"You don't have to go through it all, Mina. Endy explained it to me. I still don't like it, but I'll make do."

The Venusian felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I'm so glad."

For a few seconds, the two princess smiled at each other. Then a mischievous look came into Serenity's face. Casually, she asked, "Are you and Malachite getting along better now?"

Much to her embarrassment, Mina blushed.

"AHA! You are!" Serenity shrieked with delight, the prospect of losing her husband temporarily relegated to the back of her mind. "He's kissed you, hasn't he?"

Mina blushed harder and dropped her eyes to her lap to avoid Serenity's teasing gaze. "Yes," she admitted.

"Oh, Mina, I knew you'd fall in love." Serenity sighed happily before nudging her with a knowing wink. "You do love him, don't you?" She and the Queen had been discussing the pair for a while now, and it would be nice to report some good news when she joined her mother-in-law for their afternoon sewing session.

"Yes." Mina blinked back sudden tears. "I love him with all of my heart."

"Wonderful!" Serenity clapped her hands together. "I want to know everything that's happened in the past week!"

Mina smiled and sighed at the same time. _Same old Sere._

—- —- —- —

That night during dinner, Mina was incandescent. Sitting beside her, Malachite couldn't help but notice what a change her absence had created in the general atmosphere. Yes, she chattered, but she kept conversations going and you could be sure that no uncomfortable silences would result. Her presence had been sorely missed.

As the meal wound down, with amicable conversation replacing food and drink, Mina discreetly slipped her hand into Malachite's under the table. He found himself a little surprised, but pleased nonetheless. The servants noticed, and news spread all over the Palace.

Sadly, all good things eventually came to an end. Malachite had late duty that night, and it was time for the evening watch to be posted. He tightened his grip on his princess's hand briefly before letting her go. "If you'll excuse me, Your Majesties," he bowed his head to the King Edward and the Queen, "Your Highnesses," he nodded to Endymion and the princesses. "I must attend to tonight's guard."

King Edward raised his goblet in a dismissive gesture. "You may go."

Rising to his feet, the First General bowed again before striding out of the dining hall. The rest of the nobles gathered at the table dispersed shortly afterwards. The King and Queen retired for the night, followed by Endymion, Serenity, Mina, and the other Generals and their Princesses. The rest of the assembly then went their separate ways.

Mina made her way back to her room alone, her footsteps echoing faintly on the marble floor as she traversed the darkened halls. It was late—the evening meal had lasted longer than usual—and everyone in the palace was preparing to turn in for the night. The Venusian princess passed several guards throughout the course of her journey, all of whom bowed as she passed by. She acknowledged them with a smile and kept going.

The heavy wooden door to their quarters protested loudly as she pulled it open and she shook her head in amusement. _Mal really should get that fixed_, she thought wryly. _But then, he'd never know when someone came in or left, would he? _Perhaps that was why he hadn't fixed it.

A wave of weariness washed over her as she leaned on the windowsill of her room to stare up at the waning moon. She was still recovering and the day's emotional trauma had not helped. Still, she turned to her maids with a smile as they appeared to ready her for bed.

The smile faded after their departure. Mina curled up on her side and frowned at the door. Exhaustion tugged on her eyelids, but she stubbornly held on to wakefulness. She had the overwhelming sense that something…something was missing, and yet she could not quite put a finger on it.

And then it hit her like Jupiter's lightning.

_I miss Malachite._

The thought made her frown deepen, even as it increased her heart rate. _He just held me for one night. Why do I feel like this?_

True, she'd felt unbelievably safe and protected—_and loved_—with him there, but…that wasn't any reason to keep her from sleeping, was it?

Mina bit her lip. _I liked listening to his heartbeat_, she thought wistfully. It was a soothing sound. Rolling over, she closed her eyes and imagined she was lying in her husband's arms. It was a poor substitute for reality, but the Venusian Princess had been gifted with a vivid imagination. She was asleep within moments.

—- —- —- —

After turning over the supervision of the sleeping castle to a subordinate charged with the next watch, Malachite quietly walked the dark, empty halls to his quarters. He entered with great care, so as not to awaken Mina in the next room. Stripping off his sword, he propped it up beside his bed where he usually kept it and went to check on his wife.

_My wife_. The words held so much more meaning now.

The hour was too late for him to hope she was still awake, but he noted with a pleasant jolt of surprise that Mina had left her door open. That had never happened before. Stepping inside, he stood at her bedside for a moment and looked down at her. Despite her Senshi powers, despite her irrepressible sprit, she was still a mortal being who had barely escaped death. The memory still left him cold.

Tenderly, he pulled the covers up around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her forehead. As much as he found himself aching to hold her again, it would have to wait. "Sleep well, Mina," he murmured softly, before leaving for his own room.

Malachite was too tired to bother with a light. He changed clothes in the dark and sank down onto his bed with a small grunt of relief. _It's been a long day._ Resting an arm beneath his head, he stared up at the ceiling, remembering the night before and the way Mina had felt in his arms. A vision of his smiling wife, sunlight dancing around her and turning her hair to molten gold, was the last thing he saw before his exhaustion claimed him.

—- —- —- —

Some time later, Mina awoke from the throes of a nightmare. She shot bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily. The exact details of the nightmare evaded her, dissolving like mist as she attempted to pin them down, but she knew it had been bad. Pressing shaking hands to her face, she struggled to calm herself. _I want Malachite. _She wanted him to hold her, to assure her it had been nothing more than a bad dream.

Impossible, she knew, but… Mina abruptly stilled as an idea occurred to her. Very slowly, she lowered her hands to stare at the open door separating her room from that of her husband. Determination glinted in her eyes. _We're married. Not only that, but he loves me. There's no reason why he _can't_ hold me. _

Throwing back the covers, she slid out of her bed and padded barefoot to the doorway. She paused on the threshold long enough to take a deep breath and then silently crossed the room to stand by Malachite's bed. He was sleeping soundly.

Mina traced the contours of his face, memorizing his features. Lightly, she brushed a few stray locks of silver hair out of his face. Her fingers trailed over warm skin.

_Breathe_, she commanded herself. Gathering her courage, the princess lifted the covers and slipped into the bed beside him. Malachite still did not stir. She almost smiled. _He's really out of it. Poor man. He works too hard._

She was close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body, see the gentle rise and fall of his chest with every breath. And while it wasn't quite what she wanted, she felt the last whispers of the nightmare fade as a kind of peace stole over her. _I'm in the right place._ Her eyelids fluttered once, twice, and then closed in sleep again.

An hour later, Malachite rolled over and bumped into something warm. Startled, he came fully awake, already twisting to reach for his sword. His hand froze on the hilt when he realized who had climbed into his bed. He blinked in shock. _Mina? What is she doing here?_

Now that he had turned over, she was practically in his arms. He swallowed a lump in his throat. He had no idea how or why she had come to be there, but he realized he was deathly afraid he was dreaming that his wife lay sound asleep in his bed. Very hesitantly, he brushed her cheekbone with his thumb. _She feels real. _He slid an arm beneath her and tugged her into his embrace. Mina did not wake, and, more importantly, neither did he.

_I'm not dreaming. This is real. _The thought awed him.

Malachite was further awed when Mina smiled and snuggled farther into his embrace, finding the crook of his neck in her sleep. A faint answering smile curved his lips as he tangled his fingers in her golden hair and allowed himself to go back to sleep. _This_ was where they belonged.

Together.

—- —- —- —

It took Mina a few seconds to remember where she was when she awoke the next morning. She registered the walls of Malachite's room and then her cheeks flushed. _Ah, yes. _She did not regret joining him; his presence had staved off any other nightmares she might have otherwise suffered.

She bit her lip. _But what is he going to think when he wakes up and finds me here?_

The thought made her flush again. Gently, she attempted to slide away from her sleeping husband—and discovered herself unable to move. Her head rested on one of his arms, he had locked the other around her waist, and his hand lay against her side, curled around her—

Her cheeks burned with a deep blush. _Oh, my._ She forced herself to breathe at a normal pace. _Does he know I'm here? Or is this just that thing Ami called a…what was it? A 'subconscious response'?_

"Good morning," a deep voice rumbled in her ear.

Mina started. "Oh! Good morning!" She fought to keep the nervousness she felt out of her voice.

Behind her, the silver-haired general smiled into her hair. He'd awakened when she began to stir and found their new position quite comfortable. "Sleep well?"

The blonde princess blushed again. _I'm glad he can't see this_, she thought ruefully. "I did after I came in here."

"I slept better after you came in here as well."

Mina blushed even harder, and a strange silence descended on them. Finally, she sighed. "I suppose you want to know why I'm here?"

"I'm obviously not dreaming." There was a definite bit of amusement in his voice. Malachite's lavender eyes were soft as he stared down at the back of her golden head.

"I-I had a nightmare. So I came in here. You don't mind, do you?"

He smiled. That was the understatement of the century. "No, I don't mind. What was your nightmare about?" He could think of a dozen scenarios off the top of his head.

Mina shrugged. "I don't remember. I just…..felt so alone…..and I didn't want to be alone."

Malachite let her go—albeit reluctantly—and propped himself up on an elbow. "I was thinking the same thing."

She turned over to face him. "Really?"

"I don't know what it is, but holding you feels so right. Like that's where we're supposed to be." He reached out and tucked a few strands of her golden hair behind her ear.

"Serenity keeps telling me it's destiny," Mina said wryly.

"Perhaps it is." Malachite's eyes darkened as he locked eyes with her.

The air shifted between them, charging with something deeper as it dawned on both of them that they were alone in bed together. Malachite brought a hand up to cup the back of her head, his eyes dropping to her lips. Mina's breath hitched in her throat as he leaned in to kiss her.

A sudden banging on the door startled them both. Malachite jerked upright and rolled out of the bed. "I'm coming," he called gruffly. He fought a surge of irritation that they had been interrupted _again_.

Realizing the bed lay in full view of the door, Mina vanished into her own room. She closed the door partially and leaned against the wall beside it, listening. Her heart still thudded from their interrupted kiss and her knees wobbled alarmingly.

Malachite swung open the heavy door to demand, "What's the matter?"

A grimfaced Jadeite stood on the other side, hand poised to knock again. "Mal," he began without preamble, "one of Queen Selenity's advisors and one of the Queen of Venus's advisors have just arrived from the Moon."

"That's unusual, but hardly something that requires my presence this early in the morning."

"They say Uranus and Neptune have fallen to Beryl's dark forces."

In her room, Mina gasped. _No! _She thought of the two Senshi of those planets. _They must still be alive—surely I'd have felt it if they weren't._

"We're convening in King Edward's study."

Malachite's annoyance fell away at once. "I'll be there immediately." Jadeite departed and he shut the door. He was just strapping his sword on when Mina's door flew open. She was fully dressed, her eyes blazing with a combination of sadness and determination.

"I'm coming with you, Malachite. As a Senshi, this is my business as well."

Malachite regarded her wryly as he held the door open for her. "I very much doubt I'd be able to stop you."

"You're learning," Mina said brightly. She stepped out into the corridor, but stopped abruptly and spun to face him.

Startled, Malachite looked down to ask her what was wrong—just as she grabbed his open collar with one hand and arched up on her tiptoes to kiss him. His surprise lasted only a fraction of a second. When they parted, she smiled at him and continued down the corridor as though nothing had happened.

Malachite stared after her with wide eyes. Then, despite the situation, he chuckled. "Minx."

She sent him an impish look over her shoulder. "So you won't forget me, whatever happens today."

The words, though lightly spoken, stirred something deep inside his chest. Malachite caught up to her in a few giant strides. "I would never forget you, Mina. Ever."

"That's good to know." She tucked her arm through his and they hastened toward the King's study.

Together.

* * *

*Line from PBS Masterpiece Theater's "House of Cards"

Until next time! Let me know what you thought! ^_^


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